TTTfTTTTTT 








\j 






"-0 



























■^^ 



t^o^ 






^o ^ ^ 






« 


















-5^^^.. 



^^ 



o 







v'- "^j. ^-^ »>>^^-o;;„ %..<■ 







■rAQf 









4 o 



■•*-a 



X 



V 



%^, 






" o , 



-^b. 



•< . . 5 



"" ■■■^m\%/ :d 



..'^■ 



A <. -o . . • ,0*^ 'b • 








.*" 






.^K'^^^^ ./^„ ^ 



<i- 






.0 ^ -> 



















z^iX^ 









o- _ o '• u . •^ 










: -r?^-. " 



i< ■ 



>V 



a.' 



^*^ 



<-,, 






** . t ' . . 






o " o 






<> ♦ o » ' . •^.^ 






,y 



' -V 



• • • -■ 



^0' 






^yjp:^ 






^° .X^^' 



>-^. 




't-o^ 












■*b V . 

,0. .<««ru- » 



^'•\ ^^1^^ /\. •:^'° ^'% v*^* /^ 



-^" 






.sv^ 



^<- 



■■'^N-- • 



^^''•^•\^ 



•'<^ 



.^^ 






'1 . ' 



'-^^0^ 









*>■ 



• ^ ' ' - '^-*. 






^^ 



^^' 



/ 




n2.-4/ 



GENEALOGY 

OF THE 

DOWNING 
FAMILY 

AND 

IMMEDIATE 
COLLATERAL RELATIONS: 

WITH 

BIOGRAPHICAL and HISTORICAL 

REFERENCES and NOTES: 

1509 to 1 90 1 



^- ■T^S.j. 



Bv 



W. C . DOWNING 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
and 

R. WILBERFORCE 

Edinburgh University 

Member of the Historical and Genealogical Societies 
of Pennsvlvania 



igoi 






Press of the 

Dando Printing and Publishing Company 

34 South Third Street 

Philadelphia: 

. .1901^ > ' 






i-iii^htyc isoi. 



Fifty Copies 



Printed 



for private distribution only 
of which this is 



No.VLh 



I'llINTED FOR 



»lifts K«ithe»*»n* ^i^vS^^ 



i 



Authorities and References Consulted 

In the 

Preparation of this Genealogy 



Lower : PatronymiL^. 

Burke : Extinct Baronetage. 

WoTTON i English Baronetage. 

Burke : History of the Com- 
moners. 

Lister : Life of Clarendon. 

Burke : Landed Gentry. 

Pepys : Diary. 

Burke : Genealogical and Her- 
aldic Dictionaryof the Landed 
Gentry. 

Cunningham : Hand Book of 
London. 

Burke: Extant Peerage. (Pow- 
erscourt.) 

O'Hara : Irish Landed Gentry. 

Burke : General Armory. 

CoRBiT : Manuscript. 

Thurloe : Memoirs. 

Ludlow ; Memoirs. 

Tanner : Manuscript. 

Cary : Memorials of the Civil 
War. 

Burton : Diary. , 

Masson : Milton. 

VaUghan : Protectorate of 
Oliver Cromwell. 

Kennett : Register. 

Carte : Original Letters and 

■ i Papers. 

PuNTALis : Jean de Witt. 

Smythe : History of the Hun- i 
dred Berkeley. [ 

Stephen : Dictionary of Na- . 
tional Biography. 

Lister : Lite of Clarendon. I 

Grey : Debates of the House 
of Commons, 176^. 

Luttrell : Diarv. 

Bergen : Early Settlers of \ 
Kings County. ' 

Bergen : Genealogy of the 1 
Letferts Family. | 

Vanderbilt : Social History i 
of Flatbush. I 

Fisher : Flatbush Past and ' 
Present. 

Strong : History of the Town j 
of Flatbush. 

Stiles ; Brooklyn. 

Davis : History of Bucks 
County (Pennsylvania). 

Mahtinhalk : History of Bv- 
berry and Moreland. 

Onoerdonk: Revolutionary In- 
cidents of Suffolk and Kings 
Counties. 



MiiNsF.LL : -American .Ancestry. 

Life of the Earl of Clarendon. 

Own Time, Edition 1823. 

Hatton Correspondence. 

London Gazette, February, 
1672. 

Heralds' Visitations of London. 

Heralds' \'isitations of Essex. 

Heralds' Visitations of Norfolk. 

Heralds' Visitations of Sussex. 

Heralds' Visitations of Oxford. 

Heralds' Visitations of Bucks. 

Heralds' Visitations of Somer- 
set. 

Heralds' Visitations of Glouces- 
ter. 

Domesday Book. 

Old Parliamentary History of 
England. 

The Daily Courant, London, 
1722. 

Chief Remembrances of the 
Exchequer, Dublin. 

List of Proprietors of Lands 
within the Countv of Cork, 
1656. 

List of Connaught Certified 
Transplanters, 1653-54. 

Abstract of the Acts of Settle- 
ment and Explanation, 1661 

Documentary History of New 

York. 
The Records of the Sutferings 

ot Friends. 
Records at Somerset House, 

London. 
Heraldic -Authorities. 
Pall Mall Magazine, February, 

1901. 
Gaines's Gazette, 1783. 
New York Gazette, 1733. 
New York Mercury, 1754, 

1768, 1769, 1777. 
Town Records of Addisville, 

Bucks County (Pennsylva- 
nia). 
Old Family Bibles and Records. 
County Records of Cambridge. 
County Records of Cornwall. 
County Records of Sussex. 
County Records of Essex. 
County Records of Norfolk. 
County Records of Suffolk. 
County Records of Devon. 

4 



Countv Records of Bucks (Eng- 
I land). 

j County Records of Gloucester. 
County Records of Somerset. 
County Records of Cork. 
I County Records of Connaught. 
County Records of Tyrone. 
; Countv Records of Derrv. 
County Records of Montgom- 
ery. 
I Courity Records of Bucks 
I (Pennsylvania.) 
, Parish Records of Sherrington, 
! County Gloucester. 
Parish Records of Axminster, 

County Devon. 
Parish Records of Quainton, 

County Bucks (England). 
Parish Records of Rodburgh, 

County Gloucester. 
Parish Records of Lexham, 
j County Norfolk, 
i Parish Records of Cheeselbor- 
ough, County Somerset. 
Parish Records of Avening, 
: Countv Gloucester. 
! Parish Records of Horsley, 
County Gloucester. 
Parish Records of Stafford, 

County Staffordshire. 
Parish Records of East Hatley, 

County Cambridge. 
Parish Records of Coagh, 

County Tyrone. 
Parish Records of Moneymore, 

County Derry. 
Parish Records ot Drummond, 

County Derry. 
Parish Records of Byberry, 

Philadelphia County. 
Parish Records of Moreland, 

Montgomery County. 
Parish Records of Northampton, 
Bucks County (^Pennsylva- 
nia). 
Parish Records of Southampton, 
Bucks County ( Pennsylva- 
nia). 
Parish Records of Abington, 

Montgomery County. 
Parish Records of ChurchviUe, 
Bucks County (Pennsylva- 
nia). 
Parish Records of Bensalem , 
Bucks County (Pennsylva- 
nia). 




DOWNING. 




(■mAy^^^M, 




DOWNING 



GENEALOGICAL 
CHART 

AND 

COATS OF ARMS 

OF THE 
FAMILIES OF 

WINGFIELD, DOWNYNG, 

DOWNING, 

DOWNING COLLEGE, 

COLWELL, LAFFERT, 

ADDIS, KNIGHT, 

DICKSON. 



Page 5 GENEALOGICAL CHART 

6 DOWNING- BARONET 

(Shield, Helmet, Crest and Mantling) 

9 WINGFIELD 

II DOWNYNG OF PYNEST 

15 DOWNING - BARONET 

(Shield and Crest) 

17 DOWNING COLLEGE 

40 COLWELL 

51 LAFFERT- HOOGWOUDE 

113 ADDIS 

117 KNIGHT 

132 DICKSON 



Downing 



AS TO THE FAMILY OF DOWN- 
ING (Anglo-Saxon, "DUNE, De DOUNE, 
Le DOWNE; early English, DOWNYNGE, 
DOWNYNG; and, modern English, DOWN- 
ING"), as recorded in genealogical documents 
and authorities, is of ancient origin, descended from 
very distinguished forebears, and was of considera- 
ble distinction in the history of England and Ireland. 

With reference to the origin of the name, 
genealogical authorities state that it is an old 
Anglo-Saxon name from Dune ^ a hill. In the 
parish of Axminster, County Devon, is North 
Wyke, once the residence and inheritance of the 
ancient and knightly family of Dune, De Doune, 
Le Downe, or Downynge — the original stock from 
which sprang the branch about to be detailed. In 
Domesday Book (the oldest and most valuable 
record in all England), mention is made of 
RALPH De DOUNE, a "King's Thane,"* and he 
is described as holding " two manors "f in County 
Devon. From him descended GEOFFREY 
DOW NYNG. 

* THANE, a title of honor among the Anglo-Saxons. In England 
a freeman not noble was raised to the rank of a thane by acquinng a 
certain portion of land — five hides (500 acres) for a lesser thane — 
by making three sea voyages, or by receiving holy orders. Every 
thane had the right of voting in the Witeuagemot (assembly of the 
wise), not only of the shire, but also of the kingdom, when im- 
portant questions were to be discussed With the growth of ibe 
kingly power the import;mce of the king's thanes (those in the 
personal ser\'ice of the sovereign) rose above that of the highest 
gentry, ealdormen (eldennan, senator) and bishops forming an 
inferior class. On the cessation of his actual personal service 
about the king the thane received a large grant of land. After the 
Norman conquest (1066) thanes and barons were classed together. 
In the reign of King Henry II (1155) the title fell into disuse. 

t Originally a piece of territory held by a lord or great personage, 
who occupied a part of it, as much as was necessary for the use of 
his own ininiedi.ite family, and granted or leased the remainder to 

8 



Downing 



The Anglo-Saxons invaded England in the 
fifth century (449). They belonged chiefly to the 
portion of that great nation, or confederacy of 
nations, whose territories lay on the shores of the 
Baltic. They settled in the southern and central 
parts of England — Counties of Sussex, Essex, 
Middlesex, Hertford, Surrey, Hants, Berks, 
Wilts, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. 

The DOWNINGS are found in the Counties 
of Cambridge, Devon, Cornwall, Sussex, Essex, 
Gloucester and Norfolk, and through the alliance 
of the family with that of VVINGFIELD (as will 
hereafter appear) they became directly descended 
from the Plantagenets (King Henry III). 

The Baronetcy of the Wingfields became extinct 
in the reign of King George II. "They were," 
saith Camden, "a family famous for their knight- 
hood and ancient nobility," of which were. Sir 
John, a renowned warrior of the time of King 
Edward III (i 327-1 377) and Chief Counsellor to 
the " Black Prince " (the eldest son of King 
Edward III) ; Sir John of Letheringham, created 
a Knight of the Bath in 1461 ; and Sir Anthony, 
Esquire of the Body to King Henry VIII, installed 
a Knight of the Garter in 1541. 

The armorial bearings of the Wingfield family, 
as recorded in the heraldic authorities, are : 

Argent, on a bend gules, cotised sable, three 
pairs of wings conjoined, in lure of the field. 

tenants for stipulated rents or services. Manors were also called 
baronies, as they still are lordships, and the lord was empowered 
to hold a domestic court, called the court baron, for punishing mis- 
demeanors, settling disputes, etc. , within his manor. 



Downing 



Crest : A cap, per pale, ermines and argent, 
charged with a fesse gules, between two wings 
expanded, the dexter of the second, the sinister 
of the first. 

The records of the time of King Henry VIII 
(1509-1547) — show the ancestors of the Downing 
family settled in England at Pynest — their coun- 
try seat in County Essex, the head of the house 
(Geoffrey Downyng) being described as a person 
of rank and fortune. 



10 



/ 




DOWNYNG 




WINGFIELD 



Downing 



I GENERATION '""^ '^"' °'^ "hom detailed information can 

Geoffrey Downyng of Pynest, Poles Belcham, 
County Essex, gentleman. Born March 7, 1524; 
married, October 8, 1549, Elizabeth Wingfield, 
daughter of Thomas Wingfield of Great Dunham, 
County Norfolk, who was the son of Sir John 
Wingfield of Great Dunham, County Norfolk, 
the grandson of Sir John Wingfield, Knight of 
the Bath, of Letheringham, County Suffolk, and 
the great-grandson of Sir Robert Wingfield, 
Knt., of Letheringham, County Suffolk. (See 
chart, page 6). 

The armorial bearings borne by the family of 
Geoffrey Downyng, as recorded in the heraldic 
authorities, are : 

Gules a fesse vaire, between two lions passant, 
guardant ermine. 

Crest ; Out of a ducal coronet, a swan, or. 

He died September ij, 1595. 

Issue : 

Arthur Downyng, born 1550; married 
1573 ; died 1606. 

II GENERATION: 

Arthur Downyng of Lexham, County Nor- 
folk, born August i, 1550; married, June 10, 1573, 
Susan Calybut, daughter of Thomas Calybut 
of Castle Acre, County Norfolk. 
He died September 19, 1606. 
Issue : 

I. Calybut Downyng, born 1574; married 
1594, 1604; died 1642. 
1 1 



Downing 



2. John Downyng, born 1581 ; died 1617. 

3. Dorothy Downyng, born 1584; married 
1606 ; died 1651. 

4. Anne Downyng, born 1586; married 
1610; died 1658. 

5. Susan Downyng, born 1589; married 
1609 ; died 1642. 

Ill GENERATION: 

Calybut Downyng of Sherrington, County 
Cjloucester, born |une i, 1574: married (first), 
January 8, 1594, Elizabeth Wingfield (Morri- 
son) — she having been previously married to 
Edward Morrison — daughter of Robert Wing- 
field of Upton, County Northampton, by Eliza- 
beth Cecil, daughter of Richard Cecil and sister 
of William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, who, for forty 
years, was principal Secretary of State, and confi- 
dential friend and adviser of Queen Elizabeth, 
which position he held until the day of his death, 
August 4, 1598. 

He married (second), August 8, 1604, Anne 
Hogan, daughter of Edmund Hogan of Hackney. 

He died February 3, 1642. 

The marriages of Geoffrey Downyng (I) and 
Calybut Downyng (III) brought about the direct 
descent from the Plantagenets (King Henry III) 
as shown by the genealogical chart (page 5) and 
the following pedigree : 



12 



Downin 



King 

Henry III. 

1216. 



Eleanor de Berenger, daughter of Raymond de Berenger, 
Comte de Provence. 



I I 

King Edward I. Henry, Earl of=:Blanche d'Artois, daughter of Robert, 
1272. Lancaster. j Comte d'Artois, and widow of Henry, 

King of Na\arre. 

Eleanor Plantagenet. ^Richard Fitz Alan, Earl of Arundel. 



1. 

Richard Fitz AIdn,:= Elizabeth de Boh 


Earl of Arundel. 




Premier Earldom 




of England. 




»377. 




I St 


1 


William de Montacute, -— Elizabeth -^ 


son and heir of Wil- Fitz 


liam, Earl of Salis 


jury. Alan. 



Sir John Fitz Alan, 
Lord Maltravers. 



2nd 3rd 

: Thomas de Mowbray, =Sir Robert 
Earl Marshall and Duke I Gousell^Knt., 
of Norfolk, K.G. From | of Hovering- 
whom descended the 1 ham, County 
HOWARDS, Dukes of Nottingham. 
Norfolk. 



Elizabeth GouseH.=Sir Robert Wingfield, Knt., of Letheringham, County Suf- 
folk. From whom descended Elizabeth Wingfield, who 
married Geoffrey Downyng. (See genealogical chart, 
page 5.) 



I St I and 

Alice Seckford.^Sir Henry Wingtield, K.nt,,:=Eli2abeth Rokes. 

of Oxford, County Suffolk. I 



I 
Robert Wingfield, ^Margery Quarles. 

of Upton, County 

Northampton. 



Robert Wingfield, of Upton, ^lElizabeth Cecil, daughter of Richard Cecil, and 
County Northampton. sister of William Cecil, Lord Burleigh. 

1st 2d 2d 

Edward Morrison. ^Elizabeth Wingfield. ^Calybut Downyng,— Anne Hogan. 

of Sherrington, 
Countv 
Gloucester. 



VH^I- , 



Downing 



Issue : 

1. Emanuel Downyng, born 1594; married 
1614, 1622 ; died 1676. 

2. Calybut Downyng, born 1596; married 
1624 ; died 1644. 

3. Elizabeth Downyng, born 1598; married 
161 8 ; died 1660. 

4. Susan Downyng, born 1601 ; married 
1623 ; died 1651. 

IV GENERATION: 

Emanuel Downyng of Sherrington, County 
Gloucester; Dublin, Ireland; Salem, Mass.; and 
London, England; born December 10, 1594; 
married (first), June 7, 1614, Miss Ware of 
Dublin, Ireland, daughter of Sir James Ware. 
They had several children, but no records can be 
found. He married (second). April 10, 1622, 
Lucy Winthrop, daughter of Adam Winthrop, 
of Groton, County Suffolk, and sister of Governor 
John W'inthrop of Massachusetts. Upon the invi- 
tation of Governor John Winthrop (his brother-in- 
law), he and his family came to New England in 
1638. His children attended the public school at 
Salem, Mass., afterwards (George, Nicholas and 
Henry) at Harvard College, of which George 
Downing (1642) was the second graduate. In 
1646, they returned to England. It is doubtful, 
however, whether the children by his first wife 
(Miss Ware) returned with him. 

He died July 26, 1676. 

•4 



Downing 



Issue : 

1. George Downing, born 1623 ; married 
1654 ; died 1684. 

2. Nicholas Downing, born 1627; died 
1698; unmarried. He bequeathed his 
entire estate, in Drummond, County 
Derry, Ireland, to his nephews (the 
children of his brother, Henry), Adam, 
John, George and Daniel. 

3. Henry Downing, born 1630; married 
1665 ; died 1698 (see page 37). 

The armorial bearings borne by the family, as 
recorded in the heraldic authorities, are : 

Barry of ten argent, and vert, over all a grififin 
se^reant or. 

Crest: An arm embowed in armour, tied round 
the wrist with a bow argent, holding in the hand 
proper a broad arrow or, feathered and headed 
of the first. 

GEORGE DOWNING of East Hatley, 
County Cambridge, born 1623, was fortunate to 
gain as his wife, in 1654, a lady greatly distin- 
guished for her birth and beauty: FRANCES 
HOWARD, fourth daughter of Sir William 
Howard, Knt., of Naworth Castle, County Cum- 
berland, and sister of Colonel Charles Howard, first 
Earl of Carlisle, and a descendant of that unfortu- 
nate Thomas Howard, fourth Duke of Norfolk, 
who was arraigned and convicted upon charges 
of high treason and rebellion, and beheaded, by 
order of Queen Elizabeth, on June 2, 1572, for 





Downing 



tenderness shown to, and arrangements made to 
marry, Mary, Queen of Scots. 

Sir George Downing's progress to power was 
undoubtedly greatly advanced by his matrimonial 
union with "the blood of all the Howards." 

He was Knighted in May, 1660, and created a 
Baronet July i, 1663. 

He died July 2, 1684. 

Issue : 

I. George Downing (Sir) Second Baronet 
of East Hatley, County Cambridge, one 
of the Tellers of the Exchequer, time of 
King James II (1685) ; married, 1682, 
Catharine Cecil, eldest daughter of James 
Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, and had an only 
son : 

George Downing (Right Honorable 
Sir) of Gamlingay Park, County Cam- 
bridge ; born 1684; third Baronet, 
Knight of the Bath, and founder of 
Downing College, Cambridge. He 
married, 1700, Mary Forester, daughter 
of Sir William Forester, Knt., of Wat- 
ling Street, in Shropshire, and died in 
1749. He represented Dunwich in 
Parliament. 
The circumstances connected with his marriage 
were singularly unfortunate, leading to unhappi- 
ness and, subsequently, to litigation. Four years 
after his birth, in 1688, he lost his mother, and, his 
father being of weak intellect, he was brought up 

16 




DOWNING COLLEGE 



Downing 



chiefly by his uncle, Sir WiUiam Forester, who had 
married Mary, third daughter of James, Earl of 
Sahsbury. In February, 1700, this uncle took the 
opportunity of secretly marrying him, then a lad 
of fifteen, to his eldest daughter, Mary, who had 
just attained her thirteenth year. Soon after- 
wards he went abroad, and, on returning home 
after about three years' absence, refused either 
to live with or acknowledge his wife. 

By his will, dated December 20, 1717, he 
devised his property to his cousin and heir. Sir 
Jacob Downing, grandson of Sir George Downing 
(I) by Charles, his third son — with a provision that 
in case his line failed his trustees should pur- 
chase ground and erect a college at Cambridge. 
This event took place in the year 1800, after much 
litigation, as the estate was in the possession of 
Lady Downing, and, afterwards, of her devisees, 
without any title ; and, in consequence of the 
opposition raised by them, the grant of the char- 
ter was delayed for more than thirty years. The 
college was eventually founded, and known as 
" Downing College " in accordance with the direc- 
tions in the will of the founder. 

The arms of the college were granted in the 
year 1801, certain charges being taken from those 
of the Downing family : 

Barry of eight, argent and vert, a griffin, segre- 
ant or, within a bordure azure, charged with eight 
roses of the first seeded and barbed proper. 

Motto : " Quif rere Verum." 

17 



Downing 



2. William Downing — died without issue. 

3. Charles Downing, Comptroller of Cus- 
toms, married Sarah Garrard, daughter 
and heiress of Sir Thomas Garrard, Baro- 
net, and died April 15, 1740, leaving a 
son: 

Jacob Downing (Sir), referred to as 
the son of Charles, third son of Sir 
George Downing (I), who succeeded 
his cousin. Sir George Downing, as 
fourth Baronet (see page 17). Jacob 
Downing married Miss Price, but died 
without issue, in 1 764, when the baro- 
netcy became extinct. His widow 
married Admiral Sir George Bowyer, 
Baronet. 

4. Frances Downing married John Cotton, 
son and heir of Sir John Cotton, Baronet. 

5. Philadelphia Downing married Sir Henry 
Pickering, Baronet. 

6. Lucy Downing married Sir Richard 
Bulkeley, Baronet. 

7. Mary Downing married Thomas Barnard- 
iston, Esq. 

8. Anne Downing (no further trace). 



18 



Downing 



SIR GEORGE DOWNING was a man of a 
proud and insolent spirit. He was keen, bold, 
subtle, active and observant, and very imperious, 
naturally preferring menace to persuasion ; reck- 
less of the means employed and the risk incurred 
in the pursuit of a proposed object ; and fore- 
armed with a fierce determination not to be foiled 
or overreached ; but, withal, no one could deny 
his abilities. He acted a prominent part in the 
eventful period in which he lived. He was 
sent, during the Protectorate (1654), as Ambassa- 
dor to the States General of Holland ; sat for a 
number of years ( 1 654-1 683) in Parliament; and, 
in May, 1667, became Secretary of the Treasury. 
He was one of the Tellers of the Exchequer, 
and one of His Majesty's Commissioners of 
Customs. He was one of those who headed 
the movement for offering the Crown to Crom- 
well. He served in the army, and, when not 
more than twenty-seven years of age, had 
risen so fast as to become a confidential mem- 
ber of Cromwell's staff. In 1650 he held the 
important position of Scoutmaster-General to 
the army in Scotland. He was at the Battle of 
Worcester, September 3, 1651, which Cromwell 
called his " crowning mercy." 

He was one of the most important correspond- 
ents and advisers of Parliament. 

His chief services during the Protectorate were 
in the execution of Cromwell's foreign policy. In 
1655, when the massacre of the Vaudois took 
place, he was despatched to France to represent 

19 



Downing 



Crornvvell's indignation to King Louis XIV, and 
also to make further remonstrances at Turin. 

On his appointment as Resident Minister at the 
Hague, in December, 1657, his letter of credence 
was written by no less distinguished a man than 
John Milton, who says : " He is a person of emi- 
nent quality, and, after a long trial of his fidelity, 
probity and diligence in several important negotia- 
tions, well approved and valued by us." Whilst 
with strange contrast, Clarendon (his most bitter 
enemy) wrote of him that " he goes to Holland, as 
he pretends, for thrift, but in truth to be a spy." 

He was reappointed to his post in Holland by 
the Rump Parliament in June, 1659, and again in 
January, 1660. 

Like other public men of his time and genera- 
tion, so soon as the Restoration became a cer- 
tainty — and whilst still in Holland — he caused 
influence to be brought to bear upon King Charles 
II, through Thomas Howard (a relative), brother of 
the Earl of Suffolk, transferred his "allegiance," 
and, April 5, 1660, made peace with the King, was 
graciously received. Knighted, and, July i, 1663, 
was created a Baronet. At the Restoration he re- 
ceived a large grant of land in London, near White- 
hall, and was continued by the King as Ambassa- 
dor at the Hague, until 1665, when the war with 
Holland obliged him to return to London. 

As to his intentions with regard to the Restor- 
ation, Pepys, who was in his office as a clerk, 
writes in his Diary that he (Downing) was 
convinced that an effort would be made to put 

20 



D 



owning 



King Charles II into power, and that "hee be- 
thoucrht himself how hee might have a reserve in 
the King's favor." He also wrote of him as a 
perfidious rogue, and has recorded in his Diarj-, 
in 1660, the year of the Restoration, a visit to Sir 
George Downing, " the first visit I have made him 
since hee came. . . . hee is so stingy a fellow 
I care not to see him." 

When the Treasury was put in commission 
(May, 1667) the Commis.sioners chose him as 
their Secretary. "I think, in my conscience," 
comments Pepys, "that they have done a great 
things in it ; for he is active and a man of busi- 
ness, and values himself upon having of things 
do well under his hand." (Pepys was of a very 
changeable disposition, governed entirely by cir- 
cumstances.) Sir George Downing, who repre- 
sented, at different times, Edinburgh, Morpeth, 
Carlisle and Haddington, was a frequent speaker 
on financial and commercial subjects in the 
sessions of Parliament. In the autumn of 1671, 
when King Charles II had again determined to 
pick a quarrel with Holland, no fitter person 
than he could be found to replace the conciliatory 
Sir William Temple at the Hague. In addition 
to his official instructions ordering him to urge 
all the reasons for complaint which the States 
had gi\en England since the treaty of Breda, 
he was secretly informed by the King that he 
was so offended by the conduct of the Dutch 
towards him that he had determined to treat with 
the King of France for declaring war at the earliest 

21 



Downing 



possible moment ; that therefore he sent him, not 
to obtain satisfaction, but rather to employ all his 
wit and skill to embitter matters, so that the Eng- 
lish mio'ht desire this war and concur in it with 
jjood heart. His great unpopularity in Holland 
was well known when he was chosen for this dan- 
gerous mission. When the King named him for 
that employment, one of the Council said, "The 
rabble will tear him in pieces ;" upon which the 
King smiled and said, "Well, I will venture him." 
After about three months' negotiations he sud- 
denly left the Hague, fearing the fury of the 
mob. On reaching England he was sent to the 
Tower (February 7, 1672) for leaving his post con- 
trary' to the King's direct orders, but was released 
before the end of March. In the House of Com- 
mons, in 1672, he defended the royal "declaration 
of indulgence," and, in 1673, spoke against the con- 
demnation of Lord Arlington. In a tract pub- 
lished in 1677, and often attributed to Marvell, 
he is said to have received at least ^80,000 by 
the King's favor, and described as " the house- 
bell to call the courtiers to vote." 

On part of the land at Whitehall granted to him 
by King Charles II, Downing Street was built ; a 
street which has become famous by reason of the 
official life of Ministers of the Crown. About the 
year 1689 it is described as a "pretty, open place — 
especially at the upper end, where are four or five 
very large and well built houses, fit for persons of 
honor and quality, each house having a pleasant 
prospect into St. James's Park, with a terras walk." 

22 







I BBBBB 
[■■BBB 



Downing 



FROM THE PALL MALL MAGAZINE, 
LONDON, FEBRUARY, 1901 : 

' ' To BE LET : — The Four Large Houses, with Coach House 
and Stables, at the upper end of Downing Street, West- 
minster; with back fronts to St. James's Park, and with a 
large Terras Walk l)efore them next the Park, 
luiquire of Charles Downing, Esq., Red Lyon Street." 

This was a notice that met the eyes of the 
readers of the London (Dai'j,' Courant on the 
niornini^r of February 26, 1722. The " four large 
houses" inchided the one now so famous as " 10 
1 )owning Street " (large double house) ; and a 
somewhat similar notice, worded more in accord- 
ance with the changed conditions of the age we 
live in, might be inserted in our own daily papers 
every five years or so. For " 10 Downing Street," 
the official residence of the Inrst Lord of the 
Treasury, is practically to let whenever a disso- 
lution of Parliament has taken place, since it is 
not at all certain — generally otherwise — that the 
occupier at that time will be the occupier during 
the next Parliament. 

We were allowed to spend some hours one day, 
a few weeks ago, under the guidance of a compe- 
tent guide, in looking over this old historic house, 
which has so many attractions, not for Englishmen 
alone, but for foreigners from all parts of the earth. 
We do not intend to deal here with the house from 
the architectural side so much as from its relation 
to the present and immediately preceding occu- 
pants. Yet a few words, bringing its story down 
to our own times, are necessary. 

23 



Downing 



We are not told what tenant first took it after 
the advertisement given at the beginning- of this 
article. But, after the death of Baron Bothmar, 
who was in it in 1 734, George II offered the house 
as a gift to Sir Robert Walpole, then Premier and 
First Lord of the Treasury. VValpole refused it 
on that condition, but agreed to accept it — the 
King consenting — upon another stipulation : that 
it should become the permanent official residence 
of the First Lord of the Treasury from that time. 
And on September 23, 1735, Sir Robert Walpole 
and his family moved into the house, since which 
time "10 Downing Street" has played an im- 
portant part in the history of England. 

Horace Walpole, Sir Robert's son, was very 
fond of the place. He says in a letter to a friend, 
in lune, 1742: ' I write this in one of the charming 
rooms towards the park, on a delightful evening 
I enjoy the sweet corner. " And since 
his time many other celebrated men have enjoyed 
that same view and corner. Let us call to mind 
the wonderful array of names that have been asso- 
ciated with this house : William Pitt, Lord North, 
Earl Grey, Canning, Melbourne, Spencer Perce- 
val, Peel, Palmerston, Gladstone, Disraeli, Rose- 
bery, Balfour — most prominent these amongst 
many others which are also nevertheless cele- 
brated in political annals. 

Before we deal with the house as it is to-day, let 
us jot down a few interesting recollections of it 
under some of the men whose names are men- 
tioned in the list just given. It was here that Lord 

24 



Downing 



( Wey sat b\' the tire during those stormy days of the 
Reform Bill in the early thirties ; here he sat whilst 
the county " gentlemen" of England abused him 
right and left for the new proposals he had just 
made ! Xo name was bad enough for them to call 
him — they called him, indeed, everything but a 
"gentleman " ! Yet, on one of those stormy nights, 
there came to see the Earl a man named .Stuart, 
who owned an influential London newspaper, and 
this man explained that he was willing to " turn 
over" his paper from Tory support to that ot 
Whioforism and the Earl, on condition of receivino- 
the Treasury patronage. The Earl was astounded. 
Hut it was the impudence of it all that took his 
breath away — the very shame that such a proposi- 
tion should be made to him ! He rose, called the 
footman, and, in a terrible voice, bade him " Show 
that person at once out of doors ! " Ah, well ! 
times alter, and men, too. Mr. Stuart went the 
wrong way about the matter, as some diplomatic 
and wiser newspaper owners could easily have 
shown him. 

Again, it was in this house that the great Pitt 
"felt at home," as he used to say. He never 
cared to live elsewhere. He used to boast that, 
during all the long years he was in power, he never 
slept a single night away from this house e.xcept 
under the direst necessity. He confessed that, 
during the time when he was out of office, he was 
always looking forward to his return to his beloved 
" lo Downing Street." Here he paid those bills 
of innumerable tradesmen, bills so enormous in 

25 



Downing 



their totals that even to-da\ curious inquirers 
stand acrhast and " wonder where all the stuff 
went to ! " 

Grey was a second Pitt in his love for the spot. 
He seldom lived away from it when Premier. 
Lord North was just as bad — indeed, perhaps, 
worse, in so far that he even became so attached 
to certain rooms that more than once he actually 
went in and sat down there when they really 
belonged to some one else ! During his own 
period as First Lord he had a number of rooms 
on the ground floor ; and when, in later life and 
more aged days, he accepted a Secretaryship of 
State as a rela.xation from the severer post he had 
formerly held, and when he had offices appointed 
in the same house, but on the second floor, it was 
by no means uncommon for the clerks of the 
then First Lord to find the late Premier come 
strolling into the old chambers and sit down at 
the old desk before he suddenly remembered his 
changed position and retired in confusion. 

Every tenant did not love " lo Downing Street," 
so much as these three or four Premiers. Palmer- 
ston once allowed a favorite secretary to live in 
it ; Mr. Gladstone, during his first administration, 
did exacdy the same. But subsequently both 
these famous Prime Ministers came themselves 
to live in the historic house, and took great pride 
in it. Lord Peaconsfield not only lived at Down- 
ing Street during his second term of office as First 
Lord of the Treasury, but he spent a large sum 
of money in renovating the various rooms. They 

26 



Downing 



were decorated and furnished in the style of 
George I's time, and ran up a bill of nearl)- 
^3,000 in paying- for them. We shall see some 
of the alterations that Lord Beaconsfield made 
when we deal with the different rooms as they 
are to-day. 

It may be interesting to know that one First 
Lord never lived here at all. He was the late 
Mr. W. H. Smith. He used the place as an office, 
but he was too much attached to his ordinary 
country residence to leave it for this one in a 
cul-de-sac off Whitehall. And equally interesting 
it may be to learn that there is one Premier who 
has never lived at 10 Downing Street. He is 
the present one, the Marquis of Salisbury. With 
these two exceptions, every Prime Minister and 
every First Lord of the Treasury since the days 
of Walpole, in 1735, has been at some period or 
other a tenant of the house. 

Havintr thus come down to our own times, let 
us accompany our guide through the chief rooms 
of "10 Downing Street," as they are to-day. 
When one has successfully passed the guardian 
of the law posted outside the house in Downing 
Street, and then further satisfied the custodian 
inside the entrance hall, one has opportunity to 
look 'round this hall itself. An old eight-day 
clock, which adorns it, has evidently been a fixture 
here for many years, and could doubtless tell 
some strange tales. 

Passing along through corridors and rooms 
which are now all used for business purposes, we 



Downing 



come at k-ngth to the room of a private secretary. 
This present secretarial room is decorated in pale 
green, and is a light, cheerful apartment. Here 
everything suggests work. Piles of pamphlets ; 
statistical books : guides, and similar parapher- 
nalia ; scores of newspapers, including all the prin- 
cipal morning and evening ones each day : these 
meet the eye at every turn. There is nothing 
haphazard, however, about them. 1 he news- 
papers are all set out in due order, as if on a rail- 
way bookstall, their titles all visible at a glance, 
ready for the first Lord of the Treasury to pick 
up whichever he fancies, or has his attention drawn 
to by his secretaries. In this room, which is far 
from being the least comfortable one in the place, 
a secretar)' is always ready when wanted, for the 
next room is the First Lord's work-room. 

And this ne.xt room, separated by double fold- 
ing doors from the one just described, is the cele- 
brated " cabinet chamber," as well as Mr. Balfour's 
work-room. This room could tell more of Britain's 
political history during the past two centuries — or, 
rather, of the resolutions which causeil that history 
— than any other room in the world. It is impossi- 
ble to speak of a tithe of the memorable Cabinet 
meetings that this room has seen. And as to 
what has transpired at them — the silence of the 
grave is supposed to hang around all Cabinet 
meetings. For under no circumstances whatever 
is any official not of Cabinet rank allowed inside 
that room, or within earshot, when a Cabinet 
Council is taking place. It may be that, very 

28 




So 

'":d 

/. 

z o 

aw 
-■ X 



Downing 



occasionally — once in a hundred times the pres- 
ence of a minor member of the Government is re- 
quested by the Cabinet, or, even more rarely, a 
private secretary is called in for a few moments 
to answer important questions. But the tradi- 
tional records of secretaryship here oive only one 
case where any person, not a Cabinet Minister, 
ever dared to enter the room without leave durino 
a Council. It is said that the news of the fall of 
Sebastopol came to a secretary's hand whilst a 
Cabinet meeting was being held, and that, in his 
excitement, he burst in upon the astonished Min- 
isters with the glorious information, and was for- 
given for his rashness owing to the good import 
of his news. 

Double doors, double windows, double locks— 
this room is indeed well protected. In the centre 
of it used to stand a long, heavy table, and round 
this were placed chairs for the members of the 
Cabinet. One side of the chamber looks out 
upon the Horse Guards' Parade ; another leads to 
the small terrace outside the house, of which more 
anon. Until this past decade or so, when Lord 
Salisbury's Cabinet has generally met at the For- 
eign Office, practically all the Cabinet Councils 
since 1856 have been held in this ••Council 
Chamber," or in a room above. 

To day it is the regular work-room of Mr. Bal- 
four ; and a plain high desk, littered with papers 
and notes, stands at its farther end, by the win- 
dows looking upon the gardens. It may be inter- 
esting to know that the present First Lord of the 

-9 



Downing 



Treasury stands up at the desk when he is work- 
ing there, and very seldom indeed sits down to 
write. The general scheme of decoration of the 
room is of terra-cotta color, and the carpet is of 
thick velvet pile. 

Outside the door at the farther end of the Coun- 
cil Chamber are two small rooms, also appropri- 
ated by private secretaries of the First Lord. 

On the floor above we come to the chief recep- 
tion room, which lies exactly over the Cabinet 
room. This drawing room is a fine apartment, 
and it was one of the rooms which Lord fieacons- 
field had re-decorated at much expense to himself. 
Its color is now cream-and-gold, and it is elabor- 
atelv adorned, both on the walls and ceilincr. 
Here are many portraits of former celebrated 
First Lords, including those of Mr. Gladstone, 
Lord Rosebery and Mr. Disraeli. The most 
notable one is supposed to be that of Lord Port- 
land, dated 1633. 

The second drawing room has a fine white 
marble mantel, and a splendid old mirror which 
reaches from the mantel to the ceiling. The room 
is papered with a terra-cotta-colored paper, and 
has rich gilt mouldings, 

From the drawing room last described we pass 
into the morning room. This room has a fine 
view all over St. James's Park from the windows, 
and it is very cheery in its general appearance. 
There are many evidences in it of the tenant's 
personal tastes. In one corner there were some 
half-dozen golf-clubs, which stand ever ready to 

30 



Downing 



hand for Mr. l^aliour's use. And the open piano, 
with the sheet-music, suggested that he is as keen 
on his indoor recreation as on the outdoor one. 

On the corridor past this room are others, two 
of which are devoted to private use. And then 
there come spare rooms for visitors, so many and 
so mixed up that the tenants of lo Downing 
Street, themselves seldom know exactly how many 
there are, and where they end. For the next 
house is that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
and the offshoot rooms — if we may call them so — 
of the one building run amongst those of the other 
building in most delightful confusion. Both houses 
have been added to as necessity required, so that 
all styles and fashions of architecture and rooms 
are represented there, and the result is a pretty 
medley. 

If we cross the ante-room we come to what is 
known as Pitt's dining room. This is one of the 
finest apartments in the house. It was built by 
the great Prime Minister whose name it bears ; 
and a fine large portrait of him adorns the mantel 
in it. On the walls are several works of the late 
Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Most of the Minis- 
terial dinners given before the opening of Par- 
liament take place in this room, as they have 
done ever since Lady Hester Stanhope kept 
house here for her famous relation who built the 
room. It is here also that the Queen's speech 
is generally first read to the more important sup- 
porters of the Ministry who gather to the dinner. 
The ceiling of this room is one of the finest in the 

31 



Downing 



house, its mouldings bciiii^ lar su|jerior to most 
of the others. The room itself is hi^h. with large 
windows that o\erlook the back of the house, or 
rather the side runnin^^ at right angles from 
Downing Street as we approach it. .Xntl down 
below is Pitt's kitchen — certainly, in its architec- 
ture, one of the finest apartments in the place. 

The guide passes with us into the small gar- 
dens outside the house, bordering the Horse 
Guards' Parade. These gardens are more inter- 
esting from their associations than from their 
beauty, as they have to serve for the two houses, 
the First Lord's and the Chancellor of the 
M.vchequer's. 

What tales these gardens could tell if they had 
the power of speech ! What private talks have 
had place here, upon which, undoubtedly, the des- 
tinies of nations have hung! What little "jobs " 
planned, so dear and so common to every politi- 
cal party during its term of office ! Here Mel- 
bourne mused as to how the new accession in 
1837 was likely to affect him ; here Peel probably 
first pondered on the dubious course of changing 
his Corn Laws policy. Along these walks Pal- 
merston must often have strolled, deep in the 
an.xiety that the Crimean War brought ; and into 
this garden came Lord Beaconsfield in triumph 
after the Berlin Conference and the famous " Peace 
with 1 lonor." (iladstone must have often trodden 
these paths with sturdy stride whilst meditating 
on the great "Home Rule" change; antl here 
Lord Rosebery has doubtless frequently recog- 

32 




z 

Q 

< 


h 

- 2: 

h 



Downing 



nizecl the real truth of the poet's line, slightly 
altered — "Uneasy lies the head that wears a 
crown. " 

It is said that there was a cockpit here in the 
days of King Henry Mil, and indeed Cromwell's 
wife frequently wrote him letters headed "The 
Cockpit, Whitehall." Even many of the Treasury 
letters were headed with the same words until as 
late as the year 1750. It has been said that the 
cocks themselves were kept in a low dungeon 
under the Treasurv buildint{s, where the latter 
touch these gardens at the back. 

The terrace in the gardens is not imposing, yet 
it has .some claim to attention. When the First 
Lord of the Treasury or the Chancellor of the 
E.xchecjuer gives garden parties, the guests are 
very fond of sitting out on this terrace, which can 
thus boast of having held the most famous men 
that England has known for two centuries. 

The present American Ambassador, Mr. Joseph 
H. Choate, in his famous speech at the last Lord 
Mayor's banquet, referred to .Sir George Down- 
ing, from whom the street took its name, and 
humorously suggested that, from -Sir George's 
connection centuries aeo with both Entrland and 
America, I )o\vninL'" Street even now mi^-ht be 
reofarded as the link between the Old World and 
the New World of Anelo-Saxons. His wish will 
find an echo, certainly, in many hearts on both 
sides of the Atlantic. And if this be so, then, 
surely, 10 Downing Street may be taken as the 
centre of that link itself! 



Downing 



On the whole, however, " lo Downing Street" 
may be said to live greatly on its past. It must 
ever be interesting to the lover of history or to 
the politician. As a piece of architecture it is bad; 
its chief attraction being its excellence as a place 
for playing hide-and-seek — which, after all, is not 
an uncommon part of a First Lord's busine.ss 
when importunate suitors call. 



34 



Downing 



In addition to the liistorical records of Eneland, 
most careful researches through local Church and 
Parish records in Ireland have resulted in the dis- 
covery that, from 1622, the Downings were settled 
in Dublin, at Downing, County Cork, at Money- 
more and Drummond, County Derry, and at 
Coagh, County Tyrone. 

The historical authorites relating to Ireland, 
about this period, indicate that the Downings 
were engaged in the wars which were carried on 
during the period of the Commonwealth (1649- 
1659), and those subsequent thereto. 

In the time of Cromwell is found the enrollment 
of the adjudication in favor of the " 1649" offi- 
cers, formerly denominated "the 49 Lots" pre- 
served in the office of the Chief Remembrancer 
of the Exchequer, at Dublin. These adjudica- 
tions refer to the arrears due to the commissioned 
officers who served King Charles I in the wars 
of Ireland. 

Included in the names of the commissioned 
officers are those of : 

Hugh Downing, 

Lieutenant John Downing, 

John Downing. 
In 1656 the list of proprietors of lands within 
the County of Cork who forfeited their property to 
the Commonwealth in " the late horrid Rebellion " 
includes : 

" County Cork : Barony of Carberry, 

Teig Carty, alias Downe (now rendered 

Downing)." 

35 



Downing 



Among the Connaught ' ' certified transplanters " 
(1653-4) is the name of Robert Downing. 

In the abstract of the Acts of Settlement and 
Explanation (i 661-1665) passed in the reign of 
King Charles II, the name of Robert Downing is 
to be found among those of persons entitled to 
grants under the said Acts of Settlement. 



36 



Downing 



V GENERATION : 

Henry Downing of East Hatley, County 
Cambridge, born March lo, 1630 (third son of 
Emanuel Downyng: seepage 15); married, June 
2, 1665, Jane Clotworthy, of a very ancient 
Devonshire family. He held a commission in the 
guards of King Charles II, and was living in 
London, in 1666. 

He died September 25, 1698. 

Issue : 

1. Adam Downing, born 1666; married 
1696 ; died 17 19. 

2. John Downing, born 1667 ; died 1736. 

3. George Downing, born 1668; married 
1690 ; died 1729. 

4. Elizabeth Downing, born 1669; married 
1692 ; died i 740. 

5. Daniel Downing, born 1670; married 
1696; died 1733. 

6. Anne Downing, born 1672 ; died 1674. 

7. Margaret Downing, born 1675 ; married 
1696 ; died 1723. 

8. Anne Downing, born 1678 ; married 
1702 ; died 1757. 

VI GENERATION: 

Adam Downing of Downing Street, London, 
born March 18, 1666; married, November 15, 
1696, Margaret Jackson of Coleraine, County 
Derry, Ireland, of the noble family of Waterford. 

COLONEL ADAM DOWNING was a dis- 
tinguished partisan of King William III, and 

37 



^ 



Downing 



went to Irelarnl with him in 1690. He held the 
rank of Colonel in his army, raised a body of 
men at his own expense, and was present at the 
siege of Derry, where he gave early and signal 
proofs of his courage, participating in the Battle 
of the Boyne (July 12, 1690), and contributing 
eminently by his gallantry and skill to the suc- 
cess of the party with which he was engaged. 
He received the appointments of Deputy Gov- 
ernor of the County of Derrj', Colonel of the 
Militia, and was one of the Commissioners of 
Array. He was also granted by the King a large 
tract of land in County Derry. He died May 17, 
1 7 19, and was buried at Bellaghy. The inscription 
on his monument mentions his descent from the 
ancient Devonshire family of Clotworthy. 
Issue : 

1. Henry Downing, born 1697; died 1712. 

2. John Downing, born 1700; married 1727; 
died 1762. 

VII GENERATION: 

John Downing of Dawson's Bridge, Bellaghy 
and Rowesgift, County Derry, born April 16, 
1700; married, June 10, 1727, Margaret Rowe 
of Rowesgift, County Derry, who was descended 
from an ancient Devonshire family. Inheriting 
the spirit of his father, he raised, during the 
Rebellion of 1745, at his own expense, a body of 
men to serve his King and country in a moment 
of great difficulty and danger. 

He died September 3, 1762. 

38 



/ 



Downing 



Issue : 

1. Clotvvorthy Downing, born 1728; mar- 
ried 1753 ; died 1801. 

2. Dawson Downing, born 1739; married 
1762, 1778 ; died 1808. 

3. John Downing, born 1740; died 1792. 
DAWSON DOWNING of Dawson's Bridge. 

Bellaghy and Rowesgift, County Derry, born 
March 17, 1739; married (first) April 3, 1762, 
CATHARINE FULLERTON, the only child of 
George Fullerton, and niece and heiress of 
Alexander Fullerton of Ballintoy Castle, County 
Antrim, descended from a branch of the ancient 
Scottish family of that name, who settled in 
Ireland in 1603 ; he had by her an only son : 

GEORGE ALEXANDER DOWNING, who 
was born at Ballycastle, November 30, 1775. 
He inherited considerable property from his 
maternal great uncle, assumed, in compliance 
with that gentleman's testamentary injunction, 
the surname and arms of Fullerton, quarterly 
with those of Downing, and became of Tocking- 
ton Manor, Ballintoy. 

He married, November 30, 1796, MARY 
ANNE PEACOCK, and had by her three sons 
and five daughters. 

He died June 4, 1847. 

DAWSON DOWNING married (second), Janu- 
ary 8, 1778, SARAH CATHARINE BOYD of Bal- 
lycastle, and had by her six daughters and four sons. 

He died December 23, 1808. 

His will was proved in Dublin in 1809. 

39 



Downing 



VIII GENERATION : 

Clotworthy Downing of Dawson's Bridge, 
Bellaghy and Rowesgift, County Derry, born 
April 4, 1728; married, June 14, 1753, Elizabeth 
Giffard. 

He died November 13, 1801. 

Issue : 

1. William Downing, born 1754; married 
1784 ; died 1803. 

2. John Downing, born 1760; died 1820. 

3. Giffard Downing, born 1762 ; died 1830. 

IX GENERATION: 

William Downing of Dawson's Bridge, Bel- 
laghy and Rowesgift, County Derry, born March 
13, 1754; married, August 5, 1784, Jane Col- 
well of Moneymore, County Derry. 

He died April 10, 1803. 

Jane Col well Downing married (second), July 
18, 1805, Felix Devlin, and had by him two 
children, whose descendants are settled, some in 
Ireland and others in America. She is buried in 
the family lot at Moneymore. 

The armorial bearings of the Colwell family, as 
recorded in the heraldic authorities, are : 

Argent, three chevrons sable, each charged with 
five bezants. 

Issue : 

1. William Colwell Downing, born 1786; 
married 181 1 ; died 1868. 

2. James Downing, born 1798; married 
1830 ; died 1874. 

40 




col\vt:ll 




JAMICM 1J0W.N1N<1. 




MKH. JAMEH OOWNING. 

(nKE ICL.IKAIIKTII UROWN.) 



Downing 



X GENERATION: 

James Downing of Moneymore, County 
Derry, born November lo, 1798 ; married, Octo- 
ber 20, 1830, Elizabeth Brown Duff. (See 
pages 129, 130 and 131.) 

He died February 14, 1874. 

Issue : 

1. Robert William Downing, born 1835 ; 
married 1854, 1887. 

2. Jane Elizabeth Downing, born 1837 ; 
died 1839. 



41 



Downing 



XI GENERATION: 

Robert William Downing of Wallingford, 
Delaware County, I'a., and 1624 Locust Street, 
Philadelphia, Pa., born January 22, 1835 ; married 
(first), March 8, 1854, Elizabeth Lefferts Addis. 
(See page 68.) 

He married (second), February i, 1887, Cath- 
arine Parker Dickson of Pittsburg, Pa., his 
second cousin (see page 133), she being the 
granddaughter of his mother's sister, Mary 
Brown. (See page 129). 

ROBERT WILLIAM DOWNING served in 
the Civil War as a non-commissioned officer of 
the 17th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry. 



42 



Downing 



This regiment was known as the " Quaker 
Regiment" on account of the drab felt hats worn 
by them, which were presented to the regiment by 
patriotic citizens of Philadelphia. 

No troops had passed through Baltimore since 
April 19, 1 86 1, and no attempt had been made to 
force a passage to the Capital at Washington. 
The necessity of holding the direct route had 
become imperative, and it was determined, at all 
hazards, to open it. The 17th Regiment was 
ordered to proceed to Perryville on May 8th, 
there to be joined by Sherman's Light Battery and 
five companies of the 3d Regular Infantry, all 
well armed and supplied with ample ammunition, 
and thence to embark on transports for Baltimore. 
Landing at Locust Point, Colonel Patterson of the 
17th Regiment made such disposition of his 
force as to enable him most successfully to repel 
attack, and commenced his march through the 
city of Baltimore, which for nearly three weeks 
had been subject to mob rule. Each man of the 
regiment had his rifle loaded, and in addition 
thereto had sixteen rounds of ball cartridges, 
prepared for an attack by the citizens, but no 
such attack occurred ; they arrived at Camden 
Station of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and, 
shordy thereafter, at Washington. At first, the 
regiment was quartered in the Senate Chamber 
of the Capitol. Two days later it was ordered 
into camp on Kalorama Heights, about two miles 
from Washington. On July 8, 1861, the regi- 
ment was assigned to the 7th Brigade of the 3d 

43 



Downing 



Division. On July 15th, the whole division 
marched to Bunker Hill, Va., the 17th Regiment 
forming the advance guard, with Company A 
deployed as skirmishers, and on the 17th made a 
rapid march to Charlestown, in which it formed 
part of the advance guard, with Companies B, 
G and F as skirmishers. 

The term of service (three months) for which 
the regiment was mustered having nearly expired, 
the men were appealed to to remain after the ex- 
piration of the period of enlistment, if their ser- 
vices were needed, which was acceded to with 
unanimity. On |uly 21st the regiment was pre- 
sented with a beautiful stand of colors, consisting 
of United States and State flags, the gift of the 
women of Philadelphia. On the same day the 
division moved to Harper's Ferry. When the 
news of the defeat at Bull Run was received, a 
general willingness was expressed by everyone 
to remain longer in the service, if needed. Ford- 
ing the Potomac on July 23d, the command 
marched to Sandy Hook, Va., where, no call 
having been made from Washington for the regi- 
ment to remain in service, it was ordered to Phila- 
delphia, and was received by an imposing civic 
and military display, and, on August 2, 1861, was 
mustered out of service. 

After the war, Companies A and F (originally 
the old Artillery Company, Washington Grays of 
Philadelphia) were merged with the ist Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Infantry, as Company D. 



44 



Downing 



ROBERT WILLIAM DOWNING was a 
member of Select Council of the City of Phila- 
delphia from 1 8/ 1 to 1875 ^^^ was President of 
that body, 1874-75. ^^as one of the Commis- 
sioners for the erection of the Public Buildings ; 
a member of the Fairmount Park Commission ; 
member of the Board of City Trusts ; member 
of the Board of Prison Inspectors, Philadelphia 
County ; a School Director of the Fourteenth 
Ward, and Comptroller for the same ward in the 
Board of Education. He was appointed Assistant 
Comptroller of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
pany, in February, 1872, and elected Comptroller, 
in May, 1874, which official position he still 
holds. 

Issue : 

1. Charles Gardner Downing, born 1854; 
married 1876. 

2. Frank Taggart Downing, born 1857 ; 
married 1882. 

3. Robert Brown Downing, born 1858 ; died 
1858. 

4. William Colwell Downing, born i860; 
married 1883. 

5. Lillian Downing, born 1861 ; married 
1882. 

6. Robert William Downing, Jr., born 1864 ; 
married 1886. 

7. Spencer Brown Downing, born 1893. 

8. Roberta Brown Downing, born 1895. 

45 




ROBERT WILLIAM DOWNING. 



4f 





MKS. ROBKKT Wir^LIAM liOWNING. 

(nee ELIZABETH LEKFEMTS AD018. I 




MRS. ROBERT WIT^I.IAM DOWNING-. 

(nkK CATUARINE PA.RKKU DICKSON.) 







1 



!-JPKNC'EK HROVVN 1>0\VNING. 



W^ -ip 




ROBERTA BROCTTJ DOWNING. 




^ 
^ 



a. 



Q 





z 

Q 
M > 

a 



r^ 



"^ *- 













^ z o 



K 



J 

> 









Downing 

XII GENERATION AND ISSUE: 

I. Charles Gardner Downing of Wallingford, 
Delaware County, Pa., and 3926 Spruce Street, 
West Philadelphia, Pa., l)orn December 26, 1854; 
married, June 28, 1S76. Mary Leah Brown of 
Philadelphia, Pa., born September 17, 1857. 

Issue : 

1. May Brown Downing, born May 7, 

1877. 

2. Charles Robert Downing, born January 

21, 1886. 

3. Beatrice Leah Downing, born September 
26, 1888 ; died October 15. 1888. 



46 




CHARLES GARD>'EK DO^'NIXG. 




MKH. OUAKLICS GAKI»NKK I>t>VVNING. 

{t4K.ll MA.RV LP^AIl IIUOWN.J 




MAY UKOVVN IIOVVNING. 




OHARI.BS ROBERT DOWNING. 







:^ 



[I. 









Q Q 
2; 



z 

Q 
< 

u 






z 

-4 
J 



Oh 



C 

D 

U 

Q 




KKANK TAGQAKT DOWNING. 




SN "SEv * 



MRS. FRANK TAGGAKT OOWNING. 

Inriu ukUjE: bank dowaudJ 




ELIZABETH ADDIS DOWNINO. 




ADDIS HOWAKl* UO^VNING. 




ISAlit:i^ l>OWNINO. 






z 
z 

'^ 
Q 

U H z 

" K '< 

7) < 



z 



CO 





O 

CD 
U 

CO 



a; 
Q 



Downini 

XII GENERATION AND ISSUE: 

IV. William Colwell Downing of Upsal, 
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa., born April i6, 
i860 ; married, October 10, 1883, Martha Jane 
Taylor of Philadelphia, Pa., born September 11, 
1 86 1 (sister of Francis Granello Taylor — see page 
49)- 

Issue : 

1 . Leffert Lefiferts Downing, born October i, 
1884. 

2. Keith Travis Downing, born January 23, 
1889. 



48 




WILLIAM COLWELL DOWNING. 



i 



%:. 







i-ji^ 



•^ 4^ 



MKS. WILLIAM COL WELL DOWNING. 

(nKK MAKXRA .IANE TAYLOR.) 




I.EFPERT LEFKEKTS DOWNING. 




t 



V 



/ 



KEITH TKAVIS DOWNING. 



-^<, , vN-<- ,' /) 





•1*1. 



'7 «■?:': 



^i--A 



i4\ 



% 



.;»' 




' EB*/ 






z 



, 

^ 



►4 

J 





z 

2^ S 



W -0 

-p 

z t^ 

1 - 

P 

-> :; 

Q 

z a 

a 





0) 









6 
z 

h Z 

'Si « 






a: 
w 
z 



o 

> 

I— ( 

a!) 



D 






Z 

1^ 

Q 
D 

D 



X 



td 



-: I 

■^ 



.-0 

z 

Q 

< 








Downing 

XII GENERATION AND ISSUE: 

V. Lillian Downing of Lansdowne, Dela- 
ware County, Pa., born September 15, 1861; 
married, January 17, 1882, Francis Granello 
Taylor of Philadelphia, Pa., born April i, i860 
(brother of Martha Jane Taylor — see page 48). 

Issue : 

1. Robert Downing Taylor, born January 
24, 1883. 

2. Frances Lillian Taylor, born January 17, 

1885. 

3. William Henry Taylor, born February 5, 
1887. 

4. Katherine Taylor, born April 23, 1892. 



49 




FKAXCIS GKANELLO TAYLOR, 




MRS. KRANCTS GRANELL.O TAYLOR. 

^NKi: t.ltil.lAN OOWNING.) 








i 



ROBEKT l>O^VNlNG TAYLOR. 




FRANCES LILLIAN TAYLOR. 



I 





WILLIASI HENRY TAYLOR. 




^^ 



KATHEKINE TAVI,OU. 






< i 

c 

/^ 


- u 



•1' Z 



< 



z 



< 



Downing 

XII GENERATION AND ISSUE: 

VI. Robert William Downing, Jr., of 268 

West Walnut Lane, Germantown, Philadelphia, 
Pa., born August 26, 1864; married, November 
9, 1886, Charlesanna Heritage Myers of Phila- 
delphia, Pa., born August 5, 1866. 

Issue : 

I. Anita Downing, born April 5, 1889. 



50 



.* .V X 



i* im «l <-■ u-a IB. '!■>..■ ca'^'av }-, . 





ROBERT WILLIAM DOWNING. JH. 




/*" 



MRS. ROBKKT WILLIAM DOWNINfi, Jr 




ANITA DOWNING. 





RESIDENCE OR 

ROBERT WILLIAM DOWNING, JR. 

268 WEST WALNUT LANE, 

Germantown, Phiilada. 




VVII^I,rs TAVI OK. 





MRS. WILLIS TAYLOR. 

(neU MAKGARKT HICKMAN.) 




KK A NCI S G K A N K L LO. 




MKS. FKANCIS GRAMEt^LO. 

(.■VISK II^NNAU TKAVIH.) 



L^'i 







•>st 



£ ^^ <i 







WILLIAM HENRY TAYLOR 




MRS. W'lt^I-IAM HKNRY TAYI.OR. 

(nek nlna granei,i,o. > 




LAFFERT 




HOOGWOUDE 



Lefferts 



I GEN ERATION L'e obiafned;- ""'" ^'"""" ""■°""»"°" "" 

Leffert Pieterse of Flatbush, L. 1., was an agri- 
culturist. He married, in 1675, Abagail Janse 
(daugliter of Auke janse Van Nuyse, generally 
known as Auke Janse j. She was born in 1654, 
and died July 19, 1748. 

Leffert Pieterse van Haughwout, Hauwert, 
Houwaard, Houvert or Havert or Leffert, son of 
Peter from Haughwout or Hoogwoude, a village 
oneand a half hours north of Hoorn,in the Province 
of North Holland, came to America with his par- 
ents in 1660, and settled in Midwout (Flatbush), 
on Long Island, where he was assessed in 1675. 
Leffert Pieterse's name appears on the Patent for 
the part of Flatbush known as New Lotts, of 
Governor Andross (March 28, 1677). His name 
appears among the patentees of Flatbush on 
Dongon's Patent of November 12, 1685. 

Dr. Stiles, in his "Brooklyn," states that "Leffert, 
Laffert, Lefford" signifies loaf or bread giver, 
which is also the root of the English word "Lord." 
In the "Armorial Ge'neral," by Rietstap, there is 
a coat of arms of the Laffert family (Barons), 
Hanover, Mecklenberg : 

Party per pale — dexter banded of four pieces 
argent and sable, each band sable charged with a 
star ardent — sinister azure charged with a deer's 
head argent, branched gules. 

Casque crowned. 

Crest : Deer's head proper. 

Lambrequin : Argent and azure. 

Supporters : Two deers argent, branched gules. 

51 



Lefferts 

Beyond a similarity of names, no evidence has 
been discovered of Leffert Pieterse's connection 
with this Baronial family, which appears to belong 
to Germany and not to the Netherlands. Even if 
a connection existed, which, in the remote past, is 
possible, in consequence of intercourse with rela- 
tives in the Fatherland having for so long a period 
ceased, it would be very difficult, if not impossi- 
ble, to prove it. This coat of arms is here 
inserted, therefore, for reference only. 

In 1687, after the final possession of the colony 
by the British, Leffert Pieterse took the oath of 
allegiance, from which it appears that he had 
been twenty-seven years in the country. 

January i, 1689, his name appears on the list 
of grand jurors in attendance at the Court of 
Sessions, and, April 2, 1689, as serving on the 
petit jury in the same court. 

On the census of 1 698, he is entered : one man, 
one woman, nine children and three slaves. 

May 14, 1700, for ^15, he bought of Thomas 
Lamberse, of Bedford, land in Bedford. On the 
division of his estate these premises came into 
the hands of Jacobus Leffertse, his son, and were 
the foundation for the large tracts held by his 
descendants in that locality. 

In 1702, William Dockwra, Chief Secretary to 
the proprietors of East New Jersey, conveyed to 
Gerardus Beeckman and " Lafford Peterson," 
jointly, for ^396, a tract of eighteen hundred acres 
on the south side of the Raritan River, which ran 
two miles up the river, and was bounded : north, by 

52 



Lefferts 

the Raritan River ; west, by Covert's and Brokaw's ; 
and, southeasterly, by other lands of Dockwra. 

May 24, 1703, Gerardus Beeckman, Leffert 
Pieterse and Evert Van Wyckelyn, of Kings 
County, for ^200, bought of Thomas Cardell of 
Jamaica, Queens County, L. I., a tract of four 
hundred and fifty acres, on the Raritan River, in 
Middlesex County, N. J. 

Left'ert Pieterse died December 8, 1704. 

Issue : 

1. Aeltie Lefferts, born 1676; died 1735. 

2. Auke Lefferts, born 1678 ; married 170;, 
1735; died 

3. Pieter Lefferts, born 1 680 ; married 1 7 1 2 ; 
died 1774. 

4. Rachel Lefferts, born 1682 ; married 
; died 

5. John Lefferts, born 1684; married ; 

died 

6. Jacobus Lefferts, born 1 686 ; married 
1716 ; died 1768. 

7. Isaac Lefferts, born 1688; married 1722 ; 
died 1746. 

S. Abraham Lefferts, born 1692 ; married 

1713 ; died 1767. 
9. Madalina Lefferts, born 1694; married 

1719 ; died 

10. Anne Lefferts, born 1696; died 1782. 

11. Abagail Lefferts, born 1698; died 1704. 

12. Leffert Lefferts, born 1701 ; married 1724; 
died 1774. 

13. Benjamin Lefferts, born 1704; died 1707. 

S3 



Lefferts 

II GENERATION: 

Pieter Lefferts of Flatbush, L. I., born May 1 8, 
1680; married. February 10, 1712, Ida Suydam 
(daughter of Hendrick Suydam) of I'latbush. 
She was a descendant of Hendrick Rycke, or 
Rycken, the common ancestor of the Suydam 
family, who came to America, in 1663, from 
Suyt-dam or Zuyt-dam, in Holland, meaning 
south of the dam, from which the family derive 
the name of Suydam, having dropped the sur- 
name of Rycken. 

She died September 25, 1777. 

In 1715 his name appears on the roll of the 
Flatbush Militia Company as "Pieter Hagewoutt." 

Pieter Lefferts occupied his father's farm in 
Flatbush, of which town he was Supervisor, from 
April. 1726, to April, 1727. 

The following advertisement appeared in the 
J^eiv York Gazette, October 8, J 733: "Stole at 
Flatbush on Long Island. One Silver Tankerd, 
a piece of Money in the Led of King Charles II, 
and the Led all engraved, with a Coat of Arms, 
marked on the Handle P. L. One Silver Tankerd 
plain, with a piece of Money in the Led, marked 
on the Handle P. L. or A. L. One cup with 
two twisted ears chased with Skutchens marked 
P. L. One Tumbler marked P. L. One Dutch 
Beker weighs about 28 ounces ; Engraved all 
round, marked P. L. All the above was made 
by Mr. Jacob Boele, Stamped J. B. One large 
Cup with two cast Ears, with Heads upon 
them, and a Coat of Arms Engraved thereon. 

54 



Lefferts 



One Cup with two Ears, a small Hole in the Bot- 
tom. One Pair red Leather Women Gloves. 
One black Girdle lined with blue Callico. And 
two Pair Shoe Clasps new cleaned. Whoever can 
inform Pieter Lefferts of Flatbush on Lonof 
Island, or Abraham Lefferts in New York, so that 
they may be had again, shall have Fifteen Pounds 
Reward and no Questions asked. There is a 
suspicion of Two young Men taken to be Irish, 
that have been seen lately near the aforesaid 
Place, of a middle Stature, brown Hair, the one 
had a blue Homespun Coat, and a Pair of Wash- 
leather Breeches ; the other a coarse grey Coat 
and Linnen Trousers." 

In 1737 Pieter Lefferts was appointed County 
Treasurer by the Board of Supervisors, at a salary 
of thirty shillings per annum, which office he held 
until 1772, the salary, before the e.xpiration of his 
service, having been increased by an act ot the 
Colonial /\ssembly. 

On the census of slaves, in 1755, Pieter Lefferts 
of Flatbush is entered as owner of negro slaves 
named Ben, Dyne and Isabel. 

August 24, 1767, Pieter Lefferts of Flatbush, 
for the consideration of ^1400, conveyed to his 
son, John Lefferts, the dwelling house and land in 
Flatbush, beginning at the north-west corner of 
land of Evert Hegeman, thence northerly to 
easterly along the road which leads from Flat- 
bush to Bedford to a division line between heirs 
of Michael Van Der Veer and said Pieter Lefferts, 
thence northerly along said division line to the 

SS 



Lefferts 

bounds of Brooklyn, thence easterly along the 
bounds of Brooklyn, to a wood lot of said Evert 
Hegeman, thence southerly along the division of 
said wood lot and land of said Pieter Lefferts to 
the southermost end of said lot to land of said 
Evert Hegeman, thence westerly along the divi- 
sion between the land of said Evert Hegeman 
and said Pieter Lefferts to beginning. Also wood 
lots Numbers 28, 29 and 31, in the third division 
of Flatbush wood lots. Also one and one-half lots 
of meadows in the Flatbush meadows. Likewise 
one-half part of all the right of said Pieter Lefferts 
in the common brewhouse, with the half of all the 
utensils thereunto belonging. 

On the same date he conveyed to his son, John, 
all his stock and farming utensils, to take effect 
on the day of his death. The above premises 
appear to be the northerly portion of the home- 
stead farm of John, son of said Pieter Lefferts. 

August 24, 1767, Pieter Lefferts, in considera- 
tion of natural love and affection, in writing, 
granted to his son, John, all his "Horses, Wag- 
gons, Plows, and all other my Farmers' Tools and 
Utensils," to have and to hold forever, with a 
proviso " that Nothing shall pass by this Gift or 
Grant until the day of the decease of me, the 
said Pieter Lefferts." 

The following is an abstract from the JJew 
York Mercury, August 14, ijOg, showing the 
remarkable longevity of the Lefferts family at this 
period : 

"There is now living at Flatbush a Mr. Lef- 

56 



LefFerts 

ferts, aged ninety-two years, and his wife, aged 
eighty-one years. They have been married 
upwards of sixty years, and are hearty and well. 
They are very good, virtuous and pious people, 
and so are all the persons thereabouts reported 
to be — who mostly originated from the Holland 
Dutch who first settled there. 

Three years ago Mr. Lefferts had five brothers, 
whose united ages were four hundred and thirty- 
six years. Now there remain : himself, ninety- 
two ; his next brother, ninety ; and a third brother, 
eighty-six years of age ; all attractive, hearty and 
well. 

His mother died at the age of ninety-five. 

The wife of the aforesaid Mr. Lefferts said that 
she had six sisters now living, who do their daily 
house-work, aged seventy-nine, seventy-five, sev- 
enty-three, sixty-eight, sixty-four and sixty-three 
years, respectively. Their parents lived beyond 
the age of eighty." 

This Mr. Lefferts must have been Pieter, a son 
of Leffert Pieterse, at this date in his ninetieth 
year. 

In 1770, in consequence of inability produced 
by old age, Pieter Lefferts placed the manage- 
ment of his property in the hands of his son, John, 
as will appear by the following agreement: 

Articles of Agreement between Pieter Lefferts 
and his son, John Lefferts, made December i, 1770, 
as follows: I, Pieter Lefferts, in consequence 
of my great age and unfitness to continue 
the management of my plantation, have seen fit 



LefFerts 

no longer to meddle with the same, and to give 
the control thereof to my son, John, to cultivate 
for his benefit, and I also give him all the right I 
yet have in the cattle on the said plantation, in 
the grain already gathered and in the grain in the 
fields, on the condition and consideration that my 
son, John, pay for the same the sum of three 
pounds, which I have now received, and my son, 
John, promises to pay for the same the additional 
sum of £4 \osh. every three months in each 
year, commencing on this date, amounting to ^18 
annually, during my life. And further promises 
my son, John, that he, during this agreement, my- 
self and his mother will furnish with fire-wood, 
flour, milk, butter, eggs, fowls and whatever else 
is cultivated on the plantation, in such reasonable 
quantities as may be necessary for us to use ; also 
promises my son, John, that, whenever any of our 
friends or acquaintances come to visit us, that he 
will furnish them with victuals and drink, as has 
heretofore been customary in the family ; also 
that I and his mother shall have free liberty in the 
garden, orchard and [jlantation, to gather and to 
be allowed to gather and enjoy; and also as much 
flax as we may desire to have spun for our use ; 
and further promises my son, John, that he my old 
negro, Ben, and negro wench, Isabel, will keep 
during this agreement or during my life ; and 
further is my son, John, held to allow me the use 
of a horse and chaise and the help of his servants, 
by night and by day, as we may have needful ; 
and further promises and agrees my son, John, to 

58 



LefFerts 

furnish us with candles to burn, and whatever 
we desire cooked for us, we having the right 
to eat at his table of whatever food may be 
thereon. 

In Witness Whereof we have subscribed this : 

PlETER LeFFERTS. 

John Lefferts. 

Pieter Lefferts was at this date ninety years old, 
and lived four years after the date of the agree- 
ment, on the back of which are the regular entries 
of the payments called for, the last being dated 
March i, 1774. 

The following is an exact copy of a bill, dated 
September 22, 1777, for the funeral expenses of 
old Ben, the negro slave of Pieter Lefferts referred 
to in the aforesaid agreement : 

For the coffin, - - . . . 

For 5* qts. rum at 2sh. per cjt., - 

5 papers tobacco at 4 coppers, 

I lb. sugar at ish. 2d., 

4 doz. pipes at lod. per doz., 

I sheat at 6sh., - - - - . 

Cash paid to Thomas for tending, 

On the farm of Pieter Lefferts were erected, at 
an early period, two brick kilns, one on the back 
of the farm, and another near the large pond, not 
far from the main road, which pond from this 
circumstance has obtained the name of " Steen- 
bakkery. " 

• 59 



I 


s. 


d. 





10 








10 








I 


6 





1 


2 








6 





6 








7 






Lefferts 

The name of "steenbakkery" was still applied 
as late as 1876 to the large pond formed by the 
digging out of clay for the bricks. The clayey soil 
made it almost impossible to drain the pond, and 
it was used by the school-boys in the town as a 
skating pond in Winter, and always was known 
by them as the " steenbakkery." An attempt was 
made to drain it, by means of a large well or pit, 
penetrating through the clay to the underlying 
sand, in which the water was led to drain off, but 
failed. It was not until the hollow was filled up 
to make a causeway for the railroad from Nos- 
trand Avenue to Flatbush Avenue that the pond 
began to disappear. 

Pieter Lefferts's will is dated August 1, 1755, 
and probated July 25, 1774, on which date letters 
testamentary were granted to Jacob Lefferts and 
John Lefferts, the surviving executors, by Carey 
Ludlow, Surrogate of the City and County of New 
York, said will being on file in said Surrogate's 
office and not recorded. In it he devises to his 
wife, Ida, room in his dwelling house, furniture, 
food, etc., for her maintenance. To his eldest 
son, Leffert, for his birthright, ^10, also ^100 
due by him, and his negro wench, Beth, now in 
his possession. To his son, Jacob, ;^ioo, due by 
him, one lot of meadow, one-half of his right in 
the common brewhouse, and his negro boy, Tom. 
To his son, John, his great Bible and weaver's 
loom and tools, his negro, Henry, two of his best 
horses, one-half of his right in the brewhouse, 
and ^100 of the money due by his son, Leffert, 

60 



LefFerts 

and all his houses, lands and meadows not pre- 
viously disposed of, on condition of his paying 
for the same to his executors ^1400, in four equal 
annual payments, and maintaining his mother. 
To his grandson, Barent Janse (son of his daugh- 
ter, Cynthia), ^50. To his daughter, Adrianna, his 
negro wench, Neny. To his daughter, Anne, his 
negro wench, Lies. To his daughter, Abagail, for 
an outfit, as much as his other daughters had when 
they were married, and to buy a wench for her, or 
else his negro boy, Isaac. The remainder of his 
estate to be divided equally among his children, 
and his grandson, Barent Janse. He appointed his 
brother, Abraham Lefferts, his sons, Leffert Lef- 
ferts, Jacob Lefferts and John Lefferts, e.\ecutors. 
In addition he bequeathed to his son, Leffert, a 
legacy, making the same a charge upon the real 
estate he devised to his son, John. Leffert died 
before his father, there being an entry in Pieter 
(son of John) Lefferts's books of May i, 1775, of 
having paid to his uncle Leffert's children ^185 
4sA. lod., due their deceased father. In this entry 
there is an item of the date May i, 1774, of 
" ^10 for their father's firstborn right in the 
will," Leffert being the oldest son. In addition 
to the legacy, Leffert also appears to have been 
entitled to a share of the personal property of 
his father. Among the papers in possession of 
John Lefferts of Flatbush (1893), a descendant 
of the above mentioned John, having a refer- 
ence to the settlement of the estate of the first 
Pieter Lefferts, and the legacy he bequeathed to 

61 



Lefferts 

his son, John Lefferts, are : A receipt of May 6, 
'775. of Leffert Lefferts (son of Leffert) for ^26 
gsh. "jd., received from Jacob and John Lefiferts, 
executors of his grandfather, Pieter Lefferts, for 
" his share in full of all the money now due me 
out of the estate of my grandfather, Pieter 
Lefferts." A receipt of May 30, 1776, from said 
Leffert to the same parties, for £\2 ^sh. 6J., for 
his proportion of the payment on the ist inst., 
on the legacy to his father. A receipt of May 
30, 1776, from Leffert Lefferts, Abraham Lef- 
ferts, James Lefferts, Syche Lefferts, Edith Lef- 
ferts, Peter Lefferts and Arthur Lefferts, in which 
is set forth that " Pieter Lefferts, grandfather of 
the undersigned, bequeathed to our father, Leffert 
Lefferts, ^^233 65/:. St/., to be paid by our uncle 
John Lefferts for the consideration of his real 
estate." And a receipt of May 30, 1783, of 
Leffert Lefferts (son of Leffert), to Peter Lefferts 
for /'54 145/1. 4c/., in which he sets forth that his 
grandfather, Pieter Lefferts, by his last will and 
testament, did bequeath to his father a legacy in 
different payments to be paid by his uncle, John 
Lefferts, for the consideration of his real estate, 
which sum is the last payment in full: "I do 
hereby discharge the said John Lefferts's heirs 
and successors forever from the above men- 
tioned legacy, and do hereby bind myself, heirs 
and successors, forever to keep harmless and 
clear from any lawful claims either or any of 
my brothers or sisters could make upon the 
heirs of my said uncle." 

62 



Lefferts 

The following is an exact copy of a memoran- 
dum of the funeral expenses of Pieter Lefferts, of 
Flatbush, who died March 13, 1774: 
20 gallons good wine. 
2 " spirits. 

1 large loaf of lump sugar. 
Yi doz. nutmegs. 
y^ gros long pipes. 
4 lbs. tobacco. 

xyi dozen of black silk handkerchiefs. 
6 loaves of bread. 
At the appraisement of his property, the value 
of the table service of dishes and plates was as 
follows : 

i -S-. d. 
25 pewter plates, ------i 50 

2)"] earthen plates, ------ o 10 o 

9 pewter dishes, ------ i 16 o 

8 earthen dishes, i 00 

6 sets china cups and saucers, -300 

27 delft plates, 013 6 

/8 04 6^^ 

The success of the American cause in Boston 
proved a severe misfortune in and around New 
York, for, after the English fleet had retired from 
the New England city, its course was ultimately 
directed towards Sandy Hook. Staten Island 
was taken, and a campaign planned, involving the 
capture of New York. For this purpose a British 
army of some twenty thousand men was landed 
at New Utrecht, L. I., and, in three columns, it 
gradually advanced on Brooklyn — one by way of 

63 



Lefferts 

Gowanus, another through Flatbush, and the third 
around to the rear of General Putnam's little 
army, by way of the Jamaica turnpike. 

The melancholy story of the Battle of Long 
Island (August 27, 1776) has been often told — a 
stubborn but unsuccessful fight on the part of the 
weak and halfdrilled patriots against the well- 
trained soldiers of many wars. The masterly 
retreat under the guidance of Washington pre- 
vented what might have been a fatal blow to the 
cause of American liberty. 

Flatbush had been for some time prepared for 
the arrival of hostile troops. Many families had 
retired to Queens County or to New Jersey; the 
cattle were driven northward beyond the hills, and 
the grain stacked, preparatory to burning on the 
approach of the enemy. 

For purposes of defense a crescent-shaped 
fortification was thrown up across the main high- 
way of the village, and the pass to Brooklyn 
through the hills was obstructed by the felling of 
a large tree of white oak, which had, for many 
years, marked the boundary line between the two 
towns. It was located in what was known as 
Valley Grove, afterward called Battle Pass (in 
Prospect Park). As the English army advanced, 
a regiment of Pennsylvania troops, which had 
been guarding the seacoast, retired behind the 
intrenchments in Flatbush, but finally fell back 
to the pass in the hills, after burning much of the 
grain in the northern part of the town, as well as 
the old Lefferts homestead. 

64 



Lefferts 

From this point of defense the central column 
of the approachiiigr army, composed mostly of 
Hessians, under General DeHeister, was held in 
check for a time by this reoriment, assisted by 
other American troops, under General Sullivan. 
But, while the little army of patriots were engag- 
ing what was supposed to be the entire torce of 
the enemy at Flatbush and Gowanus, the main 
body of the English troops made the detour to 
the rear, which resulted in the complete victory 
that made Valley Grove a scene of carnage. 

The houses burned during this engagement 
were those of Jeremiah Vanderbilt and Pieter 
Lefferts, on the west, and Evert Hegeman, on 
the east side of the road. 

Pieter Lefferts died March 13, 1774. 

Issue : 

1. Leffert Lefferts, born 1712; married 
1738 ; died 1773. 

2. Jacobus Lefferts, born 1717; married 
1741, 1777 ; died 1802. 

3. John Lefferts, born 17 19; married 1746, 
1765 ; died 1776. 

4. Cynthia Lefferts, born 1721; married 
1743 ; died 1747. 

5. Adriaentje Lefferts, born ; married 

1747 ; died 1800. 

6. Anne Lefferts, born 1728 ; married 1748; 
died 17S2. 

7. Gertrude Lefferts, born 1731 ; no further 
trace. 

8. Abagail Lefferts, born 1735; married 
1758; died 

65 



Lefferts 

III GENERATION: 

Leffert Lefferts o( Flatbiish, L. I., born No- 
vember 16, 1712 ; married, in 1738, Anne Van- 
derbilt (daughter of Arthur V'anderbilt) of Flat- 
bush. Anne Vanderbilt was born in 17 18 and 
was a descendant of Jan Aertsen Vanderbilt, who 
came to America at an early period, and proba- 
bly came from De Bilt, a village on the Biltsche 
Graft (canal) in the Province of Utrecht. He 
resided in New Amsterdam as early as August 
18. 1653, from whence he removed to Flatbush. 

Leffert Lefferts was an agriculturist, and, in 
1738, with the Cornells, visited Bucks County, 
Pa., on a prospecting tour. He returned there 
with William Cornell, and, June 7, 1739, bought 
of Isaac Pennington a tract of four hundred acres 
in Northampton Township, Bucks County, Pa., 
for /492, on which he settled. The tract he 
bought was part of six hundred and fifty-one 
acres which William Penn granted to Edmund 
Pennington, the father of Isaac Pennington. 
About this period, quite a number of the descend- 
ants of the early Holland settlers of Long Island 
located in Bucks County, Pa. 

He died soon after October 6, 1773 (the date 
of his will). 

Issue : 

1 . Peter Lefferts, born 1 739 ; married i 770 ; 
died 1823. 

2. Ida Lefferts. No further trace. 

3. Arthur Lefferts, born 1 742 ; married 1 767 ; 
died 

66 



Lefferts 

4. Leffert Lefiferts, born 1745; married 
1 778 ; died 

5. John Lefferts, born 1752. Was a soldier 
in the Revolutionary War, and died with- 
out issue, at his home, of camp fever. 

6. Abraham Lefferts, born 1754; married 
1783, 1788; died 1819. 

7. Cynthia Lefferts, born 1756; married 
1778 ; died 

8. James Lefferts, born 1760; married 1787; 
died 1825. 

IV GENERATION : 

James Lefferts of Northampton Township, 
Bucks County, Pa., born August 24, 1760; 
married, September 8, 1787, Elizabeth Knight 
(a descendant of Giles and Mary Knight, of 
Gloucestershire, England, who came to America 
with William Penn, in 1682. See pages 120 and 
127). 

He died February i, 1825. 

Issue : 

1. Mary Lefferts, born 1788; no further 
trace. 

2. Charles Lefferts, born 1789; no further 
trace. 

3. Simon Lefferts. No further trace. 

4. Anne Lefferts, born 1794. No further 
trace. 

5. Eliza Benoni Lefferts, born 1803 ; married 
1823 ; died 1864. 

6. Susanna Lefterts, born 1807 ; married 
1830 ; died 1865. 

67 



LefFerts 

V GENERATION : 

Susanna Lefferts of Northampton Township, 
Bucks County, Pa., born March 5, 1807 ; married, 
June 20, 1830, Joseph Addis of Southampton 
Township, Bucks County, Pa. (Seepage 116.) 

She died January 21, 1865. 

Issue : 

1. Alexander Addis, born 1832 ; died 1848. 

2. Hannah Addis, born 1834; died 1838. 

3. EUzabeth Lefferts Addis, born 1836; 
married 1854; died 1885. 

4. Cliarles Lefferts Addis, born 1838; mar- 
ried 1863 ; died 1881. 

5. Sarah Knight Addis, born 1841 ; married 
1863. 

6. Isaac Addis, born 1843 ; died 1845. 

7. Amos Knight Addis, born 1844; mar- 
ried 1866. 

8. Joseph Henry Addis, born 184S; mar- 
ried 1 87 1. 

VI GENERATION : 

Elizabeth Lefferts Addis of Philadelphia, Pa., 
born March 8, 1836; married, March 8, 1854, 
Robert William Downing of Philadelphia, Pa. 

She died December 13, 1885. 

Issue : (See XI Generation of the Downing 
family, page 45.) 



68 



Lefferts 

AS TO THE FAMILY OF LEFFERTS: 

Lefifert Pieterse (Pietersen) was one of two 
children who came to America with their parents 
from Haughwout (Hoogwoude), near Hoorn, in 
North Holland, in 1660. His father, whose 
surname was Peter Janse, having died, his 
mother, on October 15, 1662, applied for the 
appointment of a guardian for him under the 
name of Leffert Pieterse, and his brother, Pieter 
Pieterse. 

There was a Pieter Pieterse Haeghwolt (or 
Hagewout) on Staten Island, in 1678, probably 
the brother of Leffert Pieterse, who, with Cor- 
nelia, his wife, were living as late as 1717, and 
whose descendants, under the surname of Hage- 
wout, yet reside on the north side of Staten 
Island. 

There was also a Leffert Stephanse Haughwout 
among the early settlers of Hempstead, who may 
have been a relative of Leffert Pieterse, some of 
whose descendants continue to reside in Queens 
County, bearing the surname of Lefferts. 

In consequence of many persons at that time 
having no family or surname, it was customary 
among the Hollanders, and other northern 
European nations, for a man to add to his Chris- 
tian or baptized name that of his father, to distin- 
guish him from others, which, when continued 
from generation to generation, made it very diffi- 
cult to trace families. Thus, if Jan had a son, 
Jacob, he would be called Jacob Janse ; if Jacob 
Janse had a son, Pieter, he would write his name 

6y 



Lefterts 

Pieter Jacobse , if Pieter Jacobse had a son, 
Leffert, he would write his name Leffert Pieterse; 
and if Leffert Pieterse had a son, Alike, he would 
be known as Auke Leffertse. This practice con- 
tinued among the descendants of the Hollanders 
in this country until the beginning of the eighteenth 
century, when it was discontinued, and the sur- 
name which then happened to be in use was 
generally retained. Some families added, in ad- 
dition to the name of the father, that of their 
place of residence, retaining the latter as their 
surname. When the custom of discontinuing 
the addition of the name of the father took place, 
it appears to have been a question among the 
descendants of Leffert Pieterse whether they 
should use Hagewoutt, the name of the village or 
locality from which their father came, as their 
surname, or Leffert, his Christian name. This 
may be inferred from the entries on the roll of 
the Flatbush Militia of 17 15, in which three of the 
sons of Leffert Pieterse are entered as follows : 
"Pieter Hagewoutt," "Jacob Hagewoutt" and 
"Isaac Hagewoutt." Hagewoutt, however, ap- 
pears to have been discontinued by the family, 
and the surname of Lefferts adopted and con- 
tinued ever since. 

The following is a letter, published in 1859, by 
the Hon. H. C. Murphy of Brooklyn, N. Y. It 
was written during his stay in Holland, is dated 
from the Hague, and is given herewith in full : 

" In order to show what difficulties the peculiar 
systems adopted in this country [Holland], and 

70 



LefFerts 

continued by the settlers in our own, have thrown 
in the way of tracing genealogies, it is to be 
observed that the first of these in point of time 
was the patronymic, as It is called, by which a 
child took, besides his own baptismal name, that 
of his father, with the addition of zoon or sen, 
meaning son. To illustrate this : if a child were 
baptized Hendrick, and the baptismal name of his 
father were Jan, the child would be called Hen- 
drick Jansen. His son, if baptized Tunis, would 
be called Tunis Hendricksen. The son of the 
latter might be Willem, and would have the name 
of Willem Tunissen. And so we might have the 
succeeding generations called successively Garret 
Willemsen, Marten Garretsen, Adrian Martensen, 
and so on through the whole of the calendar of 
Christian names ; or, as more frequently hap- 
pened, there would be repetition in the second, 
third or fourth o-eneration of the name of the 
first ; and thus, as these names were common to 
the whole people, there were in every community 
different lineages of identically the same name. 
This custom, which had prevailed in Holland for 
centuries, was in full vogue at the time of the 
settlement of New Netherland. In writing this 
termination sen, it was frequently contracted into 
se or z or s. Thus, the name of William Barent- 
sen, who commanded in the first three Arctic 
voyages of exploration, in 1594, 1595 and 1596, 
is given, in the old accounts of those voyages, 
Barentsen, Barentse, Barentz, Barents — some- 
times in one way, sometimes another, indiffer- 

71 



LefFerts 

ently. Or, to give an example nearer home, both 
of the patronymic custom and of the contraction 
of the name, the father of Gerritt Martense, 
the founder of a family of that name in Flat 
bush, was Martin Adriense, and his grand- 
father, who came from Amsterdam, was Adran 
Ryerse. The inconveniences of this practice, the 
confusion to which it led, and the difficulty of 
tracing families, led, ultimately, to its abandon- 
ment, both in Holland and in our own country. 
In doing so, the patronymic which the person 
originating the change bore, was adopted as the 
surname. Most of the family names thus formed 
and existing among us may be said to be of 
American origin, as they were first fixed in 
America, though the same names were adopted 
by others in Holland. Hence, we have the names 
of such families of Dutch descent among us as 
Jansen {anglice Johnson), Garretsen, Cornelisen, 
Williamsen or Williamson, Hendricksen or Hen- 
drickson, Clasen, Simonsen or Simonson, Tysen 
(son of Mathias), Arendsen (son of Arend), 
Hansen, Lambertsen or Lambertson, Paulisen, 
Remsen, Ryersen, Martense, Adrian, Rutgers, 
Everts, Phillips, Lefferts and others. To trace 
connection between these families and persons in 
this country, it is evident, would be impossible, 
for the reasons stated, without a regular record. 

Another mode of nomenclature intended to 
obviate the difficulty of an identity of names for 
the time being, but which rendered the confusion 
worse confounded for the future genealogist, was 

72 



Lefferts 

to add to the patronymic name, the occupation or 
some other personal characteristic of the indi- 
vidual. Thus Laurens Jansen, the inventor of the 
art of printing, as the Dutch claim, had affixed to 
his name that of Coster, that is to say sexton, an 
office of which he was in possession of the emolu- 
ments. But the same addition was not trans- 
mitted to the son ; and thus the son of Hendrick 
Jansen Coster might be called Tunis Hendricksen 
Brouwer (brewer), and his grandson might be 
Willem Tunissen Bleecker (bleacher). Upon 
the abandonment of the old system of names 
this practice went with it ; but it often happened 
that, while one brother took the father's patro- 
nymic as a family name, another took that of his 
occupation or personal designation. Thus origin- 
ated such families as Coster, Brower, Bleecker, 
Schoonmaker, Stryker, Schuyler, Cryger, Snedi- 
ker, Hegeman, Hofman, Dykman, Bleekman, 
Wortman and Tieman. Like the others, they 
are not ancient family names, and are not all to 
be traced to Holland as the place where they first 
became fixed. Some of them were adopted in 
our own country. 

A third practice, evidently designed, like that 
referred to, to obviate the confusions of the first, 
was to append the name of the place where the 
person resided — not often of a large city, but of 
a particular limited locality, and, frequently, of a 
particular farm or natural object. This custom 
is denoted in all those family names which have 
the prefix of Van, Vander, Ver (which is a con- 

73 



Lefferts 

traction of Vander), and Ten, meaning, respec- 
tively, of, of the and at the. From towns in 
Holland we have the families of Van Cleef, Van 
Wyck, Van Schaack, \^an Bergen, and others ; 
from Guelderland, those of Van Sinderen, Van 
Dyk and Van Biiren ; from Utrecht, Van Winkel ; 
from Friesland, Van Ness; from Zeeland, Van 
Duyne. Sometimes the Van has been dropped, 
as in the name of Boerum, of the province of 
Friesland ; of Covert, of North Brabant ; of 
Westervelt, of Drenthe ; of Brevoort and Wes- 
sels, in Guelderland. The prefixes Vander, or Ver, 
and Ten were adopted where the name was derived 
from a particular spot, thus: Vanderveer (of the 
ferry), Vanderberg (of the hill), \'anderbilt (of 
the bildt — that is, certain elevations of ground in 
Guelderland and near Utrecht), Vanderbeck (of 
the brook), Vandervoort (of the ford), Vander- 
hoff (of the court), Verplanck (of the plank), 
Verhulst (of the holly), Verkerk (of the church), 
Ten Eyck (at the oak), Tenbroeck (at the marsh). 
Some were derived, as we have observed, from 
particular farms ; thus. Van Couwenhoven (also 
written Van Cowdenhoven — cold farms). The 
founder of that family in America, Wolphert Ger- 
rissen Van Covvenhoven, came from Amersfoort, 
in the province of Utrecht, and settled at what 
is now called Flatlands, in Brooklyn, but what 
was called by him New Amersfoort. Some names 
in the classification which I have attempted have 
undergone a slight change in their transfer to 
America. Barculo is from Borculo, a town in 

74 



Lefferts 

Guelderland ; Van Aiiden is from Andel, in the 
province of Groningen ; Snediker should be 
Snediger ; Bouton, if of Dutch origin, should be 
Bouten (son of Boudwijn, or Baldwin), otherwise 
it is French. Van Cott was probably Van Cat, 
of South Holland. The Catti were the original 
inhabitants of the country, and hence the name. 
There is one family which has defied all my 
etymological research, and that is the name of 
Van Brunt. It is evidently Dutch, but has most 
likely undergone some change There is no such 
name now existing in Holland. There are a few 
names derived from relative situation to a place ; 
thus, Voorhees is simply before, or in front of, 
Hess, a town in Guelderland, and Onderdonk is 
below CDonk, which is in Brabant. There are a 
few names more arbitrary, such as Middagh 
(midday), Conrad (bold counsel), Hagedorn (haw- 
thorn), Bogaert (orchard), Blauvelt (blue field), 
Rosevelt (rosefield), Stuyvesant (quicksand), 
Wyckoff (parish court), Hooghland (highland), 
Dorland (arid land), Opdyke (on the dyke), 
Hasbrook (hares' marsh), and afford a more 
ready means of identification of relationship. 
The names of Brinkerhoff and Schenck, the latter 
of which is very common here, may be either of 
Dutch or German origin. Martin Schenck was a 
somewhat celebrated general in the War of 
Independence. 

Ditmars is derived from the Danish, and 
Bethune is from a place in the Spanish Nether- 
lands near Lille. Lott is a Dutch name, though 

75 



Lefferts 

it has an English sound. There is a person of 
that name, from Guelderland, residing in the 
Hao-ue. Pieter Lots was one of the Schepens of 
Amersfoort in 1676, and I infer from the patro- 
nymic form of his name that Lott is a baptismal 
name, and is derived from Lodewyck or Lewis, 
and that Pieter Lots means Peter, the son of 
Lodewyck, or Lot, as the former is often con- 
tracted. Some names are disguised in a Latin 
dress. The practice prevailed at the time of the 
emigration to our country of changing the names 
of those who had gone through the university 
and received a degree, from plain Dutch into 
sonorous Roman. The names of all our early min- 
isters were thus altered. Johannes or Jan Meck- 
elenburg became Johannes Megapolensis ; Evert 
Willemse Botraert became Evarardus Boqardus ; 
Jan Doris Polheem became Johannes Theodorus 
Polhemius. The last was the founder of the Pol- 
hemus family of Brooklyn. The records here 
show that he was a minister at Meppel, in the 
province of Drenthe, and, in 1 637, went as such to 
Brazil, under the auspices of the West India Com- 
pany, whence he went to Long Island. Samuel 
Dries, who, by the way, was an Englishman, but 
who graduated at Leyden, was named Samuel 
Drisius. It may, therefore, be set down as a 
general rule that the names of Dutch families 
ending in us have thus been Latinized. 

There were many persons who emigrated 
from Holland who were of Gallic extraction. 
When the bloody Duke of Alva came into the 

76 



Lefferts 

Spanish Netherlands, in 1567, clothed with des- 
potic power over the provinces by the bigoted 
Philip II, more than a hundred thousand of the 
Protestants of the Gallic provinces fled to Eng- 
land under the protection of Queen Elizabeth, 
and to their brethren in Zeeland and Holland. 
They retained their language, that of the ancient 
Gauls, and were known in England as Walloons, 
and in Holland as Waalen, from the name of 
their provinces, called Gaulsche, or, as the word 
is pronounced, Waalsche provinces. The num- 
ber of fugitives from religious persecution was 
increased by the flight of the Protestants of 
France at the same time, and was further aug- 
mented five years later by the memorable massa- 
cre of St. Bartholomew. When the West India 
Company was incorporated, many of these per- 
sons and their descendants sought further homes 
in New Netherland. Such were the founders of 
the families of Rapelye, Cortelyou, Dubois, Debe- 
voise, Duryea, Crommelin, Conselyea, Montague, 
Fountain and others." 

August 8, 1724, Leffert Lefferts (son of Leffert 
Pieterse) bought of William Van Nuys of New 
Utrecht, for ;^438, a house, three lots and a part 
of a lot of the New Bushwick lots, containing 
about seventy acres, bounded, south, by land of 
Auke Rynerse ; east, by land of Charles Durje, 
Cornelius and David Van Catts and Francis 
Titus ; north, by land of Arent van Stockholm 
and Frederick Symonse ; and, west, by land of 
Jan Lequier : also ten acres of woodland in 

77 



Lefferts 

Bushwick. This is probably his first purchase in 
Bushwick, and the farm to which he removed 
and on which he continued to reside. 

October i, 1728, for ^420 he bought of Auke 
Rynerse a tract in New Bushwick, known as two 
New Bushwick lots, bounded, north, by the land 
of said " Leffert Leffertze ; " south, by land of 
Abraham Derje ; east, by land of said Abra- 
ham Derje ; and, west, by woodland of Jan Van 
Noostrant and Isack Remse ; also a lot of wood- 
land in Brooklyn, known as No. 61, in the third 
division, and a lot of woodland in Newtown. 

In 1732 and 1747, he was Supervisor of Bush- 
wick. 

In 1737, on a list of the inhabitants of Bush- 
wick, he is entered : four white males above ten ; 
one white female above ten, three under ten ; one 
black male above ten, and one black female above 
ten years of age. 

May 2, 1744, he bought of the executors of 
Tunis Polhemus a negro wench, for ^20 ^.sh. 

December 6, 1753, for ^239 igsh., he bought 
of Johannes Duryee, Jacob Duryee and Abra- 
ham Schenck, twenty-seven acres in Bushwick, 
bounded, south, by land of Abraham Duryee ; 
west, by land of "Leffert Leffertse ; " north, by 
David Van Catts ; and, east, by woodland of Jacob 
Duryee. 

In the J^ew York Mercury of August 26, 1734, 
is advertised for sale, on October 3d, the planta- 
tion of "John Dorlant," deceased, in Somerset 
County, N. J., at a place called Nishenick, between 

78 



Lefferts 

the lands of Hendrick Pipenger and Abraham Van 
Voorhees, containing two hundred and seventy- 
five acres, etc. All persons having demands 
against the estate of the deceased are requested 
to present their accounts to Leffert Lefferts or 
Isaac Lott, of Kings County, L. I. This John 
Dorlant was the father-in-law of Leffert Lefferts. 

From 1756 to 1776, inclusive, Leffert Lefferts 
was appointed one of the three freeholders to 
defend the patent of Brooklyn, town rights, etc., 
and from 1761 to 1776, inclusive, he was elected 
Town Clerk. During the Revolutionary War no 
regular town records were kept. 

March 29, 1761, John Wesbit had a suit pend- 
ing against him, in which he claimed ^^19 dam- 
ages. 

From 1761 to 1777, his name generally appears 
among the assistant justices of the County 
courts. 

Amontr the cases before the Court of Sessions 
in April, 1775, was an indictment of Leffert Lef- 
ferts for an assault on Cornelius Vandervoort. At 
the time Lefferts was one of the justices of the 
court, and the probability is that, in consequence 
of the military occupation of the island in the 
stormy days of the Revolution, the case was 
never tried, the records showing nothing further in 
relation thereto. 

At a general Town Meeting, regularly called, 
at Brooklyn, May 20, 1775, the magistrates and 
freeholders met, Leffert Lefferts, Esq., being 
Clerk, "takino- into serious consideration the 

79 



Lefferts 

expediency and propriety of concurring with 
the freeholders and freemen of the City and 
County of New York and other colonies, town- 
ships and precincts within this Province for hold- 
ing a Provincial Congress, to advise, consult, 
watch over and defend, at this very alarming 
crisis, all our civil and religious rights, liberties 
and privileges," it was resolved, that two depu- 
ties be elected, and that, "confiding in the wisdom 
and equity of the Convention, they agree to 
observe all acts, associations and orders of the 
said Congress." 

(Signed) LEFrERT Leffeuts, Clerk. 

Leffert Lefferts was Town Clerk of Brooklyn, 
acting in that capacity at a meeting on May 22, 
1775, to elect deputies to choose members to 
represent Kings County in the Provincial Con- 
gress. As Town Clerk he had the custody of the 
town records, which were removed, during his 
absence, shordy after the battle of Long Island, 
by John Rapalje, a former clerk of his, and a 
prominent citizen, under the pretense of taking 
the papers to a safe place, and afterwards taken 
by Rapalje to England, and never recovered by 
the town. In consequence of Rapalje's being an 
active Tory, or supporter of British supremacy, 
his lands were confiscated, and his farm in Brook- 
lyn sold to Joshua and Comfort Sands. 

On April 16, 1776, John Lefferts and Leffert 
Lefferts were chosen, amongst others, to make a 

80 



Lefferts 

representation out of their body for the Provin- 
cial Congress. 

The people of Kings County, after a few had 
been persuaded or forced into rebellion, were 
abandoned by their countrymen to all its penal- 
ties. Accordingly, they lost no time in seeking 
to make their peace with the King's Commission- 
ers, and, in November, 1776, addressed to them a 
petition, in which they state: "That we bear true 
allegiance to our rightful sovereign, George III, 
as well as warm affection to his sacred person, 
crown and dignity, to testify which we and each of 
us have voluntarily taken an oath of allegiance, and 
that we will defend his crown and dignity. That 
we esteem the constitutional supremacy of (ireat 
Britain over these colonies, as essential to the 
union, security and welfare of the whole Empire, 
and sincerely lament the interruption of that har- 
mony which formerly subsisted between the 
parent State and these, her colonies. We, there- 
fore, humbly pray that your Excellencies would be 
pleased to restore this County to his Majesty's 
protection and peace." 

LEFFERr Lefferts, 
Hendrick Lefferts, 
Jacof, Lefferts, 
Bakent Lefferts, 
N1CH0LA.S Lefferts. 



Signed 



The following was presented to William Tryon, 
Esq., Governor: "We, the members of the 
Provincial Congress, the County Committee and 

81 



LefFerts 

the committees of the different townships, elec- 
ted for and by the inhabitants of Kings County, feel 
the highest satisfaction in having it in our power 
to dissolve ourselves, without danger to the 
County being desolated, as it was, by repeated 
threats, some short time ago. We do hereby 
accordingly dissolve ourselves, rejecting and dis- 
claiming all power of Congress and committees, 
totally refusing obedience thereto, and revoking 
all proceedings under them whatsoever, as being 
repugnant to the laws and Constitution of the 
British Empire, undutiful to our sovereign and 
ruinous to the welfare and prosperity of this 
County. We beg leave to assure your Excel- 
lency we shall be exceeding happy in obeying the 
legal authority of the Government whenever your 
Excellency shall be pleased to call us forth, being, 
from long experience, well assured of your Ex- 
cellency's mild and upright administration." 

(Signed) Leffert Leffert.s, and Others. 
December 4, 1776. 

" His Majesty observed with great satisfaction 
the effusions of loyalty and affection which break 
forth in the addresses of his faithful subjects upon 
their deliverance from the tyranny and oppres- 
sion of the rebel committees." 

On July 17, 1780, an address to Governor Rob- 
ertson, on his accession, was presented in behalf 
and at the request of the inhabitants of Kings 

82 



Lefferts 

County, assuring him of their loyal endeavors for 
his Majesty's service. 

(Signed) Leffert Lefferts, and Others. 

In Gaines's Gazette, January 6, ijSj, Leffert 
Lefferts offers a reward of two guineas, and all rea- 
sonable charges, for two colts (branded L. L. on 
near side), stolen or strayed off the common about 
Bedford, last .Summer. 

Leffert Lefferts's will is dated April 15, 1799, 
and probated April 19, 1806. He devises his 
Queens County lands to his son. Jacobus, and his 
homestead to his son, Leffert. 

On the census of 1738, the family of Isaac Lef- 
ferts of Flatbush is entered : one white male above 
ten, two under ten ; two white females above 
ten ; two black males above ten, and one black 
female above ten jears of age. 

In 1792 an appraisement of the property of 
Peter Lefferts (grandson of Leffert Pieterse), 
deceased, was made by John Van der Bilt and 
Samuel Garretsen, for division. A few of the 
articles, with their value, are thus given : 

£ s. d. 

25 pewter plates, is. each, 150 

37 earthen plates o 10 o 

9 pewter dishes, 4s. each i 16 o 

8 earthen dishes, 2s. 6d. each 100 

2 wafile-irons, 6s. each, 0120 

I musket, o 16 o 

I saddle and bridle, 300 

10 keelers [wooden tubs used for milk], 100 

6 spinning-wheels, 12s. each, 3 12 o 

«3 



Lefferts 



£ s. </. 

1 pair kitchen andirons, 080 

2 bookcases, is. 6d. each, 030 

I bed, bedstead and curtains, 10 o o 

I dining-table, o 16 o 

I looking-glass i 10 o 

15 Windsor chairs, 6s. each, 4 10 o 

12 rush-bottom chairs, 2s. each, 140 

4 mahogany chairs, 8s. each i 12 o 

8 old chairs, 6d. each, 040 

I mahogany dining-table, 400 

I writing-desk o 10 o 

I cupboard o 16 O 

I large chest, ... o 16 o 

I looking-glass 100 

I large Dutch cupboard 400 

I bed, bedstead and curtains, 15 o o 

I wild cherry dining-table, 100 

I looking-glass 150 

I eight-day clock, 14 o o 

I looking-glass 500 

I desk and bookcase, 20 o o 

I mahogany tea-table, 200 

I bed, bedstead and curtains, 10 o o 

I Dutch Bible, 200 

I English dictionary, 100 

I parcel of books, 700 

6 sets of china cups and saucers 300 

27 delft plates o 13 6 

I silver tankard 15 o o 

I silver sugar-cup 14 o o 

I silver milk-pot 400 

13 silver table-spoons 13 o o 

/172 18 6 

"Some time in the month of February, 1775, 
a party of the Minute-men of the County of 

West Chester, under the command of Colonel 

84 



Lefferts 



Drake, came to the country house of \our inenior- 
iaUst ; and upwards of thirty of them were quar- 
tered upon him at his house, where he frequently 
furnished them with many necessaries and 
conveniences — viz' firewood, veijetables, cider, 
etc. That the said men have continued at his 
said house until now, or very lately. That, after 
they had been there for some time, the said men, 
by order of Engineer .Smith (as he supposes), went 
upon the woodland ot your memorialist, which he 
had purchased for his own particular use, to sup- 
ply his family with firewood, and cut down and 
destroyed a great part of the trees then growing 
on the said land, and almost entirely ruined the 
young wood there. And, though the said wood 
may have been cut down to be used in building 
the fort at Hoornshook (as your memorialist sup- 
poses it was), yet, as he has sustained great loss 
and been put to great expense by the said men 
having been quartered upon him, and having cut 
down and destroyed his wood, whereby greater 
part of the burthen hath fallen upon him than is 
his part in proportion with his tellow-citizens, he 
prays the Congress, or Committee of Safety, to 
take the matter into their consideration, and to 
grant him such redress and compensation as they 
in their discretion may think reasonable and 
adequate to the loss and damage he hath sus- 
tained." 

(Signed) Dirck Lkiikrts. 
May I, 1776. 

85 



Lefferts 

October 15, 1754, in pursuance of an Act of 
Assembly in relation to counterfeit coin, eleven 
shillings and six coppers in halfpence, of coun- 
terfeit coin, was brought into the Court of Sessions, 
who ordered the same to be lodged for safety in the 
hands of John Lefferts, one of the assistant justices. 
On April 15, 1755, the Court ordered the said 
counterfeit coin to be melted down by assistant jus- 
tices John Lefferts and Carel Debevoise, and the 
product to be produced at their next meeting. On 
the meeting of the Court in the following October, 
Lefferts produced the product of the false half- 
pence and farthings, amounting to seven shillings 
and one penny, of which the Court ordered "that 
every one should have his proportion of the same," 
from which it may be inferred that the object of 
the law was to gather in and take out of circula- 
tion a large amount of counterfeit coin, which had 
been by some means introduced. 

After repeated complaints of the Sheriff of the 
insufficiency of the County jail, the Court of Ses- 
sions, in October, 1 768, appointed Jeremiah Van- 
derbilt, Englebert Lott, Philip Nagel and John 
Lefferts, Esq., " to have the court-house and jail 
of the County put in good repair, and lay the 
costs before the Supervisors of the County." 

From 1773 to 1776, John Lefferts was Town 
Clerk of Flatbush. 

May 22,1775, he was elected a delegate from 
Kings County to the Provincial Congress of New 
York. 

In 1754, the Board of Supervisors audited a bill 
86 



Lefferts 

of ^1 85/2., and another of /"i igsh., in his favor, 
for prosecuting vagrants; also, in 1765, a bill of 
/,i I ish., for trying a free negro man and having 
him whipped. 

For the purpose of showing the value of prop- 
erty at this period, and of the personal estate of 
one of the wealthiest inhabitants of the County, 
the following is a copy of the inventory of the 
estate of John Lefferts, March 11, 1776: 

/ s. d. 
16 head cattle 208 o o 

7 yearlings 42 o o 

2 horses, 28 o o 

I horse, 12 o o 

1 horse, 800 

7 slaves, by name : 

Harry 60 o o 

Anne 60 o o 

Ben, 60 o o 

Dick, 60 o o 

Bram, 30 o o 

Dyna 16 o o 

Isack 10 o o 

2 ploughs, 200 

I iron tooth harrow 250 

I iron crowbar, 0160 

I grinding stone 150 

I dung fork, 090 

I spade 060 

1 riding chair 14 o o 

I wagon 19 o o 

1 wagon, II o o 

2 hogs 200 

brass kettle, jjr q 

churn, tubs and keelers, 0180 

2 looking glasses, 200 

87 



Lefferts 



£ s. d. 

2 feather beds 12 o o 

2 feather beds, 800 

2 sets curtains 900 

2 sets curtains, 500 

2 rugs, 410 o 

6 woolen sheets 600 

1 blanket 140 

6 pillows, 600 

3 cushions 300 

2 hand irons 160 

2 iron pots i 10 o 

I frying pan, 080 

I trammel, 080 

I tea kettle i 10 o 

I eight-day clock, 18 o o 

20 pewter plates, 1100 

6 pewter dishes, 140 

china and earthenware 2 10 o 

I silver tankard, 22 o O 

9 silver spoons 900 

6 tea spoons, 0180 

50 bushels corn, 17 10 o 

25 bushels wheat, 15 o o 

Cash in hand, 159 17 o 

Cash in Congress Continental 45 14 o 

Cash in New York lawful 14 o o 

Cash in New Jersey lawful, 129 I 5 

Cash in Connecticut lawful, 13 6 8 

Cash in Pennsylvania lawful 901 

Cash in New York Provincial Congress 680 

CashinMassachusetts.MarylandandlowerCounties, 4 17 4 

/1183 6 6 

BONDS DUE THE ESTATE: 

£ s. d. 

Abraham P. Lott, i57 12 o 

Hendrick Goelet 250 o o 

88 



Lefferts 



/: s. d. 

Samuel Forman, loo o o 

Peter Covenhoven 500 o o 

Roelof Schenck 50 O O 

Lott and Lefferts 50 4 3 

Peter Oiidwater 125 o o 

Elbart Adrianse, 100 o o 

Barent Smack, 434 o o 

John Van Deveer, no o o 

John Van Sicklen, 53 o o 

Abraham Bogart 15 2 6 

John Covenhoven 100 o o 

Garret Lefferts, 100 o o 

In Hedminster store of John Lefferts, deceased, . 200 o o 

Tunis Denyse 100 o o 

Bond in the hand of Garret Covenhoven, due by 

Pliilip French to the estate, 75 o o 

Jacobus Stryker 220 o o 

Note of John Voorhees, 150 o o 

Tunis Schenck 280 18 O 

Lot of Locust woodland in Tovi'nship of Brooklyn, 100 o o 

;£4454 3 3 

\\\ liis will, dated August 6, 1 767, probated 
January 13, 1778, he devises his estate to his wife, 
Lenimian, while she remained his widow ; to his 
childr(Mi, Garret, Peter, John, Ida and Sarah, his 
personal estate ; to Peter, his real estate in Kings 
County, except what was located in Brooklyn, 
subject to the payment of /'1600 to his personal 
estate ; to John, his real estate in Brooklyn and 
Albany ; and appoints his brother, Jacob Lefferts, 
and brothers-in-law, Gerret Kouwenhoven and 
Leffert Martense, his executors. 



89 



Lefferts 

Jacobus Lefferts (son of Leflert Pieterse), born 
June 9, 1686. Settled on the land his father 
bought in Bedford, to which he added a large 
tract, and resided in a house on the southwest 
corner of the Jamaica and Clove roads. 

In I 715 his name appears on the roll of the 
Militia Company of Flatbush as "Jacob Hage- 
woutt. " 

From 1727 to 1755, inclusive, he was one of 
the three freeholders appointed by the town of 
Brooklyn to defend their patent, town rights, etc. 

In 1755 he is entered on the slave census as 
the owner of one male and two female slaves. 

In 1760 he was a Commissioner of Highways in 
Brooklyn. 

In the J^eiv York Mercury of September ig, 
i']6S, appeared the following obituary : 

" On Thursday, the 8th instant, departed this 
life at Bedford, on Long Island, in the 83d year 
of his age, Mr. Jacobus Lefferts, and, on the 
Saturday following, was decently interred in the 
family vault. He was remarkable for his hu- 
manity and goodness of heart to all ranks and 
degrees of men ; his love of justice and equity 
justly entitled him to the regard of all that knew 
him ; and he was always esteemed an honest, judi- 
cious man. 

There are three of Mr. Lefferts's brothers yet 
living, each of them older than he was." 

In 1754, Jacobus Lefferts (son of the before 
mentioned Jacobus Lefferts) was a Commissioner 
of Highways of Flatbush. 

90 



Lefferts 

His name appears on paper or currency issued 
by the City of New York, as a specimen of which 
the following is a copy : " No. 2085. This note 
shall entitle the bearer to the sum of four 
shillings current money of the Colony of New 
York, payable on demand, by the Mayor, Alder- 
men and Commonalty of the City of New York, 
at the oftice of Chamberlain of the said City, pur- 
suant to a vote of the said Mayor, Aldermen 
and Commonalty of this date. Dated the 
'rwent)-rifth day of August, in the year of 
our Lord, (~)ne thousand seven hundred and 
seventy-four. 

By Order of the Corporation : 

Jacobus Lefferts." 

In a scroll at the head of the bill, are the words 
" New York Water Works." The bills of this 
corporation were, however, signed by other par- 
ties as well as by Jacobus Lefferts. 

May I, 1775, the name of Jacobus Lefferts 
appears on the list of the General Committee of 
the City of New \'ork, consisting of one hundred 
persons who favored independence. Amono- 
other representatives of the descendants of the 
settlers of Kings County, on this list, were, 
Abraham P. Lott, Henry Remsen, Abraham 
Duryea and Jacob Van Voorhies. 

In I 770, he was Assistant Alderman of the East 
Ward, and Alderman in 1771, 1772, 1773 and i 774, 
in which year he resigned, and, on .September 30, 
1774, David Matthews was elected in his place. 

91 



LefFerts 

When the city was taken by the British army, 
he appears to have left. At this time, he and 
Captain Kennedy owned one of the wharves, 
which was taken possession of by Colonel William 
Hutler, Assistant Deputy Commissary-general, for 
the use of the British forces. Colonel Butler, by 
orders of his superiors, took an account of all the 
property found in the different houses and stores 
that were abandoned by the owners, and also of 
vacant dwelling and store houses, and lots of 
ground and wharves, and reported to General 
Robertson, the Commander of the City. Cap- 
tain Kennedy, being within the British lines, was 
allowed a dollar a day by the Commissary-general 
for his half of the wharf bvit Jacobus Lefferts, 
being without the lines, was allowed nothing. 
After the war. Colonel Butler being one of the 
few officers in the British service who left any 
estate in this country. Jacobus Lefferts com- 
menced a suit against him in the Mayor's Court, 
for the use and occupation of a dwelling house 
and dock. 

It appears, by the J^ew York Mercury of Octo- 
ber 2"] , 1777, that a British expedition swept the 
Hud.son River, from I'ort Vaughan to Red Hook, 
destroying much valualile i)ro[)erty, and among 
other acts of vandalism burnt the town of Esopus, or 
Kingston, containing between two hundred and 
three hundred houses, except that of " Mr. Lef- 
ferts," which appears to have been spared. This 
was evidently the dwelling of Jacobus Lefferts, 
for, on June 25, i 783, the farm of ninety-two acres 

92 



Lefferts 

at Esopus. occupietl iluriiio the war h) Jacobus 
Lefferts or Abraham Brinckerhoff, was advertised 
for sale. 

In 1786, Jacobus Lefferts was among- the asso- 
ciates who took measures for the establishment of 
an academy in Matbush, for which he subscribed 
/50, the highest subscription being that of John 
Vanderbilt, of /loo. On its incorporation, No- 
vember 20, 1787. his name appears among the 
first trustees. 

In 1776, with his neighbors, he took the oath ot 
alleeiance to the I)ritish. At ami period he was 
assessed for three acres, one slave, one horse 
and six cattle. He wrote his name " Jacobus 
Lefferze." 

Among the deputies from Kings County, who 
met in the City of New York, in convention, 
April 10, 1775, for the purpose of choosing dele- 
gates to the first Continental Congress, was John 
Vanderbilt, who, from his being subsequently a 
member of the Senate of the State, was called 
Senator John, to distinguish him from Judge John 
Vanderbilt. Among the delegates chosen by this 
Convention, to represent the County in that Con- 
gress, were no less than three from the town of 
Flatbush, viz : Johannes Lott, John Lefferts and 
John Vanderbilt. These delegates convened at 
New York, on May 22, 1775, and continued to 
meet at different places, from time to time, till the 
adoption of the Constitution of the State, in April, 
1777. lohn Lefferts was also a member, from 
Kings County, of the Provincial Congress, which 

93 



Lefferts 

met on June 30, 1776. His son, Peter Lefferts, 
was one of the two delegates, from Kings County, 
to the Convention which met at Poughkeepsie, 
on June 27, 1778, to adopt the Constitution of 
the United States. He was, subsequently, also a 
member of the Senate, in which he appeared in 
a suit made entirely of homespun cloth, but of so 
fine a texture and finish that it attracted special 
notice. His son, John Lefferts, was a member of 
Congress, from Kings County, and also a dele- 
gate to the Convention of 1821, which met for 
amending the Constitution of the State of New 
York. 

" The amount of money loaned to the State by 
the Whig inhabitants of Flatbush cannot be fully 
ascertained. We should be glad to name all who 
thus favored their countrj^'s cause, but, strange to 
say, no record of these transactions has been 
made or preserved. We can only mention one 
which has come to our knowledge, without design- 
ing to cast any reflection upon others. The 
mother of the present (1848) old Mrs. Lefferts 
advanced ;/^500. On one occasion, when count- 
ing out the money to the person who was about 
to take it to Major Wyckoff, a British officer 
entered the house, and she came near being dis- 
covered and apprehended." 

Barent Lefferts was an agriculturist and large 
land-owner, residing on the northeast corner of 
the Jamaica and Cripplebush roads, in Bedford, 
in the house previously owned and occupied by 
his father-in-law, which was torn down, in 1836, 

94 



Lefferts 

by his son, Rt-m, and a ne\v and costly mansion 
built on its site. 

Prior to the Revolution, Barent Lefferts was 
First Lieutenant of a militia company in Brook- 
lyn, and, in November, 1776, he was among those 
who signed the declaration against Kngland, and 
took commissions under the Provincial Congress. 

After the battle of Long Island, like his neigh- 
bors, he took the oath of allegiance to King 
Cieorffe III. 

November 25, 17S3, Barent Lefferts, with other 
leading freeholders and inhabitants of Kings 
County, united in an address congratulating 
General Washington for the "glorious and ever 
memorable era of the sovereignty and independ- 
ence of the United States of America." 

Peter Lefferts (son of Leffert Lefferts), while 
fighting for the liberty of his country in the Revo- 
lutionary War, was taken prisoner by the British. 
His wife (Lamitie \'an Arsdalen) rode on horse- 
back a long distance to the prison, willi provisions 
for him, passing by the army of the enemy that 
lay encamped in the vicinity, the soldiers of which, 
at almost every step threatening to shoot her, 
.saying, as they pointed their guns at her, " let's 
shoot her." 

March i 1, 1776, the name of Lieutenant Peter 
Lefferts of Flatbush (grandson of Leffert Pieterse), 
appears on the list, returned by Colonel R. Van 
Brunt, of those who refused to enter voluntarily in 
the service of the Provincial Congress to fight for 

95 



Lefferts 

independence. He, however, soon changed his 
views, for, in April of the same year, his name as 
First Lieutenant of the Flatbush Militia Company 
appears on the list of those who signed the 
declaration for resistance and had taken their 
commissions. 

Peter Lefferts is registered, in 1782, as 
of Newtown, Bucks County, Pa., and as the 
owner of two slaves. His will is dated January 
I, 1822. 

In the War of the Revolution the name of 
"Oukey Leffertsen" appears among the four hun- 
dred and thirty residents of Monmouth County, 
N. J., who signed articles of agreement for the 
purpose of retaliating on the Tory marauding- 
parties of the County. 

The following town offices of Jamaica, Queens 
County, were held by Isaac Lefferts: 1783, Col- 
lector of Taxes ; 1786, Assessor ; 1787, 1788 and 
1789, Appraiser of Estates of Intestates; 1798, 
1802 to 1807, and 1 8 14 to 1816, inclusive, I'ence- 
viewer ; 1815, one of the committee to ascertain 
and report what common lands belonged to the 
town; and, in 181 7, with Nicholas Wyckoff and 
Daniel Smith, a committee to meet the committee 
from I""latbush to regulate the bounds between 
their respective towns. 

In 1 79 1, Isaac Lefferts received three hundred 
and forty-five votes, as one of the three Republi- 
can (or, as would now be called, Democratic) can- 
didates for members of Assembly of Queens 
County, but was defeated. 

96 



Lefferts 

la 1792, liK subscribed ^5 towards building an 
academy in Jamaica, of which he was one of the 
first trustees. 

In 1806 antl i<SoS, he was again one of the 
three defeated Republican (Democratic) candi- 
dates for Assembl)- in Oueens County. 

May 8, 18 19, the house of Isaac Lefferts, near 
Jamaica, was broken open in the night by George 
ICllis Ryer.son, and robbed of a small chest, con- 
taining $1500 in bank bills, $350 in silver, twenty 
gold eagles, a gold watch, chain, key and seals, 
and a number of valuable papers ; ;S;200 reward 
was offeretl for the apprehension of the robber 
and recovery of the pro[)erty. 

In October, 1823, he was a Republican delegate 
from Jamaica to the Convention for the nomina- 
tion of memljers of Assembly. 

Catharine Lefferts, born July 30, 1759; died 
April 17, 1783, single, by an accidental discharge 
of a holster pistol she was placing on the top of a 
closet, out of the reach of children. 

The following, relative thereto, is from Gaines's 
Gazette of April 28, 178^3 : " Last Thursday, 
Catharine, daughter of Leffert Lefferts, Esq., in 
Bedford, a very amiable and accomplished young 
lady, having observed to her mother that a loaded 
pistol left by a drover who had been watching his 
cattle with it the preceding night, upon a chest 
of drawers, was rather dangerously placed, and 
that some of the children might get hurt by it, 
proceeded to remove and put it in a holster that 
hung close by ; but in the operation the pistol 

97 




(J} 
z 

td 
Z 

X 

U 

D 


ti, 
Q 

33 






< 

(J) 

h 

Qi 

w 

h 


Q 

tn 



a: 



Lefferts 

Court. In 1799. 1800 antl i 801, he practiced law 
in the City of New York, keeping his office at No. 
7 Pine Street. On April 5, 1800, he was appointed 
County Clerk, which office he held to February 24, 
1816, keeping his office on the upper floor of his 
own residence in the old house on the southwest 
corner of the Bedford cross-roads (" Bedford Cor- 
ners"). In 1805 he was appointed a Commissioner 
in Chancery, and, February 10, 1823, First Judge 
of Kings County, his jiredecessor being William 
Furman, a layman. He was elected the first 
President of the Long Island Bank, the first bank 
in Brooklyn, which was incorporated in 1824, and 
held the office until 1846. 

In 1813, he was the l-'ederal candidate for 
Congress, and was defeated by his kinsman, John 
Lefferts of Platbush, the Republican candidate. In 
1815, he was the I-'ederal candidate for .Senator, 
and was defeated by Jacob Barker, the Republican 
candidate. In September, 1830, on the formation 
of the Kings County Temperance Society, he was 
elected its President. 

Leffert Lefferts (who, to distinguisli iiim from 
others of the same name, was generally known as 
" Lawyer Leff ") had the confidence of the people, 
especially of the farmers of Kings County, and 
w^as highly esteemed for his honor and integrity. 
He died March 22, 1847. 

Remsen Lefferts was a very eccentric man : for a 
long time, it is said, he kept in his house a 5; 1000 bill 
of the Long Island Bank, of which his neighbor, 
Judge Lefferts, was President, on whom he would 

99 



Leflferts 



call at the bank when he was short of funds for a 
discount, in preference to parting with the bill, the 
Judge at the time being aware of Remsen having 
the bill in his possession. 

He was in the habit of handing this same bill 
to the tax collectors, which, in those days of low 
taxes, was a large sum, which they were not pre- 
pared to change, and thus obtain time and delay. 
Samuel Doxy, on being elected collector, being 
aware of this, broke up the practice by carrying 
with him the necessary change for the $1000 bill, 
to save which Remsen soon produced the proper 
change. 

The following is a copy of an old bill for a piano 
bought in 1 8 1 2 : 

Mr. John Lefferts 

To John Geib & Son, Dr. 
1812. 

Sept. 19. 
To an elegant patent Piano-forte, with drawers and two 

pedals $270 00 

$270 00 
Received payment. 

John Geib & Son. 

August 17, 1S22, John Lefferts manumitted his 
slave, Susan. 

John Lefferts, born December 14, 1785; mar- 
ried, June 3, 1823, Maria Lott Lefferts, daughter 
of Jacobus L. Lefferts of New Utrecht. She was 
born August 20, 1786, and died September 23, 
1865. 

He owned, resided on and cultivated the home- 
stead of his ancestors, a large tract in Flatbush ; 
was highly respected, of good judgment, fine 

1 00 




HOMHSTBAD OF THt LHFFERTS FAMILY. 

SIDE VIEW. 

1900. 



Lefferts 

ability, and held many important trusts, which 
gained for him the confidence of the whole com- 
munity. From October, 1 8 1 1 . to September, 1 8 1 3, 
he was County Treasurer, the salary of the office 
beino- then only thirty dollars a year — honor and not 
profit being the object. Was the Democratic candi- 
date for Congress in 1 8 1 3 and elected, his opponent 
beiniT his kinsman, ludge Leffert Lefferts of Bed- 
ford. He was elected and seryed as a member 
of the Constitutional Conyention of the State 
of New York in 1821, and, from 1821 to 1826, 
was a member of the State Senate, and known 
as " Senator John," to distinguish him from others 
of the same name in the County. While a 
member of the State Senate, it was proposed, 
at the session of 1824, to take from the Legisla- 
ture the power of electing Presidential electors 
and inyest the same in the people, in fayor of 
which change a bill was reported by the committee 
to whom the subject was referred. The op- 
ponents of the measure, fearing to yote directly 
against it, in consequence of its popularity with 
the people, after yarious ineffectual efforts at 
amendments, finally disposed of it by postponing 
its consideration until the first Monday in Novem- 
ber, a virtual defeat. He was one of the sev- 
enteen Senators who thus defied popular opinion 
and they were long known as the "immortal 
seventeen." 

Unswerving honesty, uprightness and strict 
integrity characterized his public and private life, 
and, by his early death, not only was his imme- 

lOI 



Lefferts 

diate family bereaved in the loss of an affectionate 
husband and father, but the County lost one of 
its most active members and a noble and public- 
spirited man. He died September i8, 1829. 

His will is dated September 23, 1827, and in it 
he devises his Flatbush farm to his son, John, and 
his Queens County lands in Jamaica to his 
daughter, Gertrude. 

His wife (Maria Lott Lefferts) was a woman 
of fine appearance, courtly manners, and exceed- 
ingly attractive, which caused her to be long 
remembered by observers. In 1838, President 
Van Buren, when casually passing her residence, 
called to pay his respects to her on behalf of her 
deceased husband, with whom he had been asso- 
ciated in public business, and remarked, to a 
friend of Gertrude Leffert Lefferts, that she was 
one of the finest women he had ever met. 

Issue : 

1. Gertrude Leffert Lefferts. 

2. John Lefferts. 

Gertrude Leffert Lefferts, born April 16, 1824; 

married, July 8, 1846, Judge John Vanderbilt of 

Flatbush, a lawyer by profession. He was born 

January 28, 1819; died May 16, 1877; and had 

Issue : 

Leffert Vanderbilt, born January 8, 1848 ; 
married, November 3, 1870, Charlotte 
T. Spofford, daughter of Charles Nel- 
son Spofford. 
The large farm of John Lefferts (son of John 
Lefferts and Maria Lott Lefferts) was unbroken 

102 



/ 



Lefferts 

by streets at the time that Dr. Strong's map was 
published, in 1842. It then contained three 
hundred acres, stretcliing from the Cortelyou 
farm on the south to the Clove road on the 
north, and from the Flatbush road on the west 
beyond the road leading to Canarsie on the east. 

He sold some lots on the southwest corner of 
his farm to jeromus J. Johnson, who built there 
the handsome house of Milwaukee brick, standing 
south of Fenimore Street. This property again 
changed owners, and, passing from one person to 
another, finally was purchased by Dr. Homer L. 
Hardett, in whose possession it still remains. 

Close upon the road in front of where Dr. 
Bartlett's house now (1901) stands, there once 
stood one of the earliest-built houses in Flatbush. 
It was burned down during the Battle of Matbush. 
It would have been a curious relic of the past could 
it have been preserved, as it was built of brick, 
and was, up to that time, in an excellent state of 
preservation. The surbase in the principal rooms 
was tiled to match the fire-places ; the heavy 
beams above crossed the ceilings. It had two 
front doors opening upon the long stoop in front ; 
indeed, all the characteristics of the old Dutch 
houses were peculiarly brought into prominence. 
The furniture would have been no less curious 
than the house itself, as some of it came from 
Holland. This house is mentioned in Dr. Strong's 
history of the town of Flatbush. It is also spoken 
of by T. W. Fields, in his allusion to the Battle of 
F"latbush, as •' the heavy old Dutch structure, built 

103 



Lefferts 

in the ponderous style in fashion among the Dutch 
colonists." 

Had it been still standing, it would have 
descended, as did the land on which it was built, 
to John Lefferts, through his grandmother, Mrs. 
Femmetia Lefferts, who was born in this house in 
J753- 

Mrs. Maria Lott Lefferts lived in the "old 
homestead" until her death, which occurred 
September 23, 1865. Her son, John Lefferts. 
did not modernize the house, although man)' of 
the present improvements and conveniences were 
introduced by him. It is one of those long, low, 
heavy-roofed houses, which were built prior to the 
War of the Revolution. It was burned at the 
Battle of Flatbush, but not wholly destroyed, and 
was rebuilt upon the old timbers, so that the form 
of it remains as before. (See pages 99, 100 and 
104.) 

On an old grant, signed by Governor Peter 
Stuyvesant, bearing date April 12, 1661, and still 
in possession of the Lefferts family (reproduction 
herewith), to whom the land was given, the 
name of the town appears as Midwout. The 
first provincial seal of the New Netherlands is 
upon this grant : a shield bearing a beaver, proper, 
surmounted by a count's coronet, and encircled 
by the legend " Sigillum Novi Belgii." In another 
old Dutch writing of the same character, bearing 
date 1677, Flatbush is called Vlackebos. 

Within the recollections of the present genera- 
tion there were three large farms in Bedford, one 

104 




HOMESTEAD OF THE LEFFERTS FAMILY. 

FRONT VIEW. 

1900. 








t^ <i^b--*2?wu^? ^•>^;. ;^' ^ ; ■ V ^^ (iou..<-.^v?,^ 



■iC+M rtv-i > M' 



.,.^" lux s9,, .'.v.-i u::^^.'' in-' bca-v ..K:-' -*f''-^'/^^'l ^-'U^-i.-^t, JcVJc^;,,. ^,^., ,„. ... 



.v'-. 



K'. 



■V Vv'.- I 



lAX'* 



l.'V<K'4>> 



^ r:.,,... .^V.^,.M.1<,...v;.•-«*»•>•^ 



■^., 



't/.f 









/ 




JOHN i.bfpe;rts. 



Lefferts 

in Flatbushand two in New L'treclit, occupied and 
cultivated by Leffertses, who were among the 
wealthy, respected and successful cultivators in 
Kings County. At present there is but one held 
by an individual of that name, that of John Lef- 
ferts of Flatbush, a worthy successor of his 
ancestors, occupying premises held by the family 
since 1661. (See pages gg, 100 and 104.) The 
males of the Lefferts family in the vicinity of Flat- 
bush (although not so in other localities) appear 
to be decreasing, while those of most of the other 
European pioneers continue to multiply and 
increase, so that there is a probability that the day 
is not far distant when the family name of Lef- 
ferts will disappear from Flatbush, and will have 
to be sought for elsewhere in this country. 

Long chests, standing upon huge ball feet, 
were considered by our Dutch ancestors as a 
necessary and valuable bit of property to the 
householder. They were made of cherry or 
some dark, hard wood, and were about five or six 
feet long and two and a half feet wide. These 
were similar in size and shape to the elaborately 
carved coffers which one sees in the museums of 
the German and Italian cities, but, in the simple 
homes of our Dutch ancestors, they held no 
costly treasures of jewels and gold ; they were 
receptacles for the rolls of homespun linen from 
which the bed-linen, table-linen and toweling 
were cut. When the young wife was about to 
leave her father's house, it was from these stores 
that slic received the linen for her new home. 



10 



3 



LefFerts 

and, if some of it was not of her own spinning, 
it was because she was a bride too early in life to 
have assisted her mother and sisters at the spin- 
ning-wheel. There are some of these chests still 
remaining in the old houses ; they have been ban- 
ished to the garret or to the linen closet ; but the 
housekeeper of to-day finds them as useful as 
they ever were, as they form a commodious 
receptacle for the curtains, the blankets, and 
whatever storage the changing seasons make 
necessary. 

One of these old chests in the wide garret of 
the house of John Lefferts was found to have a 
false bottom. When the discovery was made, it 
contained a large amount of Continental currency. 
At the time it was so carefully secreted, it was, of 
course, redeemable, but, when found, it was about 
as valuable as are now the bills of the Southern 
Confederacy. 

It is probable that these chests are referred to 
in the old English story of the bride who play- 
fully hid in the great chest in the lumber room, 
and was made prisoner by the spring-lock, until, a 
century after, her bones were found and identi- 
fied by her wedding finery. 

Every old Dutch family owned a waffle-iron ; 
these were larger and deeper than those now 
made, and had two long handles, for the purpose 
of holding them with more ease over the beds of 
hickory coals on which the waffles were baked. 

In an old newspaper of March i6, 1772. is an 
advertisement, as follows : 

106 



Lefferts 

" Hard and soft waffle-irons, for sale by Peter 
Goelet, at the Golden Key, Hanover Square, 
New York." 

There was another cake which must be consid- 
ered exclusively Dutch, as the irons for cooking 
them have never been seen anywhere except in 
families who are descendants of the Dutch set- 
tlers. These cakes were so thin as sometimes to 
be called wafers ; they were also known as split 
cakes, because, thin as they were, they were split 
open and buttered before being sent up to the 
table. The name by which they were correctly 
known was " izer cookies" ; this might have ref- 
erence to the iron in which they were baked — 
"yzer," or it may be a corruption of "eitzaal," a 
dining-room. On going to housekeeping, it was 
customary to have one of these wafer-irons made 
with the united initials of the bride and groom, 
and the date upon it, so that the impression of 
the letters and figures was made on the cakes 
when baked. The letters P. L. and F. L., with 
the date, 1790, are to be seen in an iron which is 
still in use among the great-grandchildren of 
Peter Lefferts and Femmetia Lefferts. 



107 



Lefferts 

At its settlement, in 1651, Flatbush was 
variously called Midwout, Midwoud and Med- 
woud. It is difficult to say why or when the 
change was made to Flatbush. X'arious opinions 
have been offered as to the meaning of the name. 
In a paper read before the Historical Society 
of the State of New York, December 31, 18 16, 
there is a conjecture offered to the effect that, as 
Breuckelen and Amersfoort were, from their 
proximity to the water, earliest setded, and a 
space intermediate and about equidistant between 
them remained as woodland, it was, therefore, 
designated by the Dutch words " woud " or " bos," 
signifying woods, thereby becoming, " med woud," 
or middle woods. Or, as it was a plain, '• vlachte," 
in order to distinguish it from the wooded heio-hts. 
"gebergte," between this plain and Brooklyn, 
it was called the "vlachte bos," or the wooded 
plain. 

Medwoud and Oostwoud, now Flatbush and 
New Lots, were both named after villages in North 
Holland. There are others who give the name a 
different derivation, and say that it does not come 
from "woud," a forest, but from " woon " or 
"woonen," to dwell, having reference to the 
people who lived in the middle district, between 
the two settlements of Breuckelen and Amersfoort. 

In the town records of 168 1, New Lots is called 
Oostwoud, and Flatbush, Medwoud. 

At a convention, held at Hempstead in 1665, 
Long Island and Staten Island were erected into 
a shire, and divided into districts called ridings ; 

108 



Lefferts 



I"latbiish was in the West Riding of \'orkshire. 
It has been said that the name of Medwoud was 
changed at that convention. If so, the change 
was not generally accepted, for it was called 
Medwoud after that on many public occasions, 
and in many public documents. 

All these names, Medwoud, Midwoud, Mid- 
wout and \'lachte Bos, appear upon the old town 
records ; and in all the public writings they seem 
to be used interchano^eablv, as we shall see. 

" There were many prisoners on parole in Flat- 
bush, during the early part of the War of the 
Revolution. It is needless to say that time hung 
heavily on their hands, so on one cold midwinter 
day a happy thought came into the mind ot a 
young officer, and found immediate acceptance 
with those to whom he communicated it. 

The beautiful fields that they had roamed 
through all the summer, the woods in which they 
had gathered walnuts, butternuts, hickory nuts 
and chestnuts, were now all draped in pure white 
snow. Icicles were pendent everywhere, and 
snow and ice wrapped everything in lines of 
beaut)-. The outlines of the fields were indis- 
tinguishable, save where the surface drainaije had 
made long pomls, and here, on these shallow bits of 
ice, the little children were at play, sliding on the 
glittering surface or dragging their little sleds 
across the frozen snow. 

This gave to the young officer the happy sug- 
gestion, on which he at once acted. Why not 
have a carnival upon the ice ? 

109 



Lefferts 

On the northeastern portion of the Lefferts 
farm there was a large pond. At the settlement 
of the country it had been formed by using the 
strata of clay for the manufacturing of bricks. It 
was known by its Dutch name, the Steenbakerie, 
or "stone baker)'." It offered the irresistible 
attraction of several acres of clear, smooth, pure 
ice. (See map, page 103.) 

The young officers went to the woods nearby 
and cut down a tree. This they planted in the 
middle of the pond, leaving about four feet of it 
extending above the surface of the ice. At right 
angles to this they fastened the rest of the main 
body of the tree with an iron bolt, which would 
revolve very rapidly when moved by someone 
standing close to it. On to this crosspiece there 
were attached many little sleds, with ropes of vari- 
ous lengths, and when one was stationed in the 
center to turn this crosspiece, the velocity with 
which all these sleds were whirled round and 
round the pond was very great. It was a sort of 
Winter merry-go-round, and to this all the young 
people, far and near, were invited. Of course they 
all accepted the invitation and went, and a right 
merry time they had. The rotary motion com- 
municated by the revolving piece to which the little 
sleds were attached was e.xhilarating. It might 
be accelerated at the will of the party who con- 
trolled the crosspiece, and there is no reason to 
think that the motion was retarded. 

I can see them now — cannot you ? The rosy- 
cheeked Dutch girls from the village, their young 

1 10 



Lefferts 

friends and brothers ; the prisoner ofificers, and 
perhaps one older person, here and there, to look 
on and see the fun ! I can just imagine how they 
looked, each one clinging closely to his or her 
sled — shouting, as they passed each other, shriek- 
ing, as at times a sled was upset, laughing, as each 
recognized the other in the swift whirl. 

Perhaps on some of the sleds there were two 
persons — all the more fun for the two — but tradi- 
tion does not tell us that ; sometimes they went 
so swiftly as to be almost lifted from the ice ; round 
and round they flew, happy in their innocent mer- 
riment, and enjoying it all as only young people 
can. They kept it up through all the full moon, 
and even until the warmer breath of Spring began 
to weaken the ice. They were loath to leave it 
— the clear air was so invigorating, the motion 
so exhilarating, the companionship so delightful. 
Neither history nor tradition ventures to hint, but 
I myself think that there is not much risk in stating 
that some of the weddings which came off after the 
war might have been traced to the meetings on 
those moonlight nights — in the frolics of the young 
people on the ice pond. 

I went past that spot quite recently. The dump 
cart of the city contractor was trying to fill up the 
pond, but there is a portion of it still left. The 
trolley cars of the Nostrand Avenue line pass it 
daily, as they turn into Malbone Street to reach 
the entrance to Prospect Park. 

If you should ever go to Flatbush, look across 
the Lefferts farm for what is still left of the old 

1 1 1 



Lefferts 

pond, and. as you do so, recall the picture it pre- 
sented over one hundred years ago, of the Ameri- 
can prisoners on parole and the young and pretty 
Dutch maidens, snatching a short season of pleas- 
ure amid the uncertainties of war, and unconscious 
of the fate that might be awaiting them before the 
war should be brought to its close. 

The moon passing over may find a small por- 
tion of it even yet, but the city is creeping up to 
obliterate what is left of it, just as surely as the 
green grass has covered from sight the soldiers' 
graves, which were then fresh, and forever effaced 
the lines of the battle-field which then could be 
traced." 

To Holland the early settlers felt a deep, unal- 
terable, hereditary attachment. Nor have the 
vicissitudes of time extinguished that sentiment in 
their descendants. Two and a half centuries have 
scarcely weakened the veneration which citizens 
of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, of 
Dutch lineage, proudly cherish toward the l-'ather- 
land of their ancestors. 



1 1: 




r^""'H';'M^J""'''**%" 




Addis 

AS TO THE FAMILY OF ADDIS: It 

is of English origin, and they appear to have 
been Quakers. They were settled in various 
parts of England, arms having been recorded in 
the Heralds' Visitations of London, in 1633; and 
also for another branch of the family in County 
Stafford, descended from Sir Degory Addis, Knt., 
who died in 152 i. 

The armorial bearings of the family, as recorded 
in the heraldic authorities, are: 

Argent, a chevron between three crosses, 
pattee, gules. 

Crest : A cock ermine. 

The firing of the British frigate, "Leoi)ard," on 
the Chesapeake, in 1807, caused such an outburst 
of patriotism among the Bucks County militia as 
to produce efforts to form volunteer companies. 
A meeting was held in Northampton Township, 
Bucks County, Pa., of which Enoch Addis was 
Chairman, and John Lefferts, Secretary, to raise 
a volunteer troop of horse. John Lefferts was 
the Chairman of a committee appointed to pre- 
pare an address to the soldiers of the 48th Regi- 
ment of Militia, to stimulate them to immediate 
action. 

Addisville is a hamlet in Northampton Town- 
ship, Bucks County, Pa., named after Amos 
Addis, its " chiefest citizen," and was so called in 
181 7, a number of building lots being laid off by 
him a short distance from the "Bear" Tavern, 
on the Bristol road. 

113 



Addis 

IV GENERATION . 

Joseph Addis of Southampton Township, 
Bucks County, Pa., and Philadelphia, Pa., born 
November i6, 1801 ; married (first), November 
16, 1820, Anne Marple. She was born August 
9, 1802. He married (second), June 20, 1830, 
Susanna Lefferts. (See page 68.) 

He died June 20, 1863. 

Issue : 

1. Martha Jane Addis, born September 16, 
1821 ; married, October 15, 1846, Alex- 
ander B. Erwin, born 1824; died Decem- 
ber 3, 1852. She died May 23, 1885. 

2. Amos Addis, born October 24, 1824 ; died 
June 22, 1825. 

3. Mary Anne Addis, born December 11, 

1827 ; died April 2, 1828. 
Issue of JOSEPH ADDIS and SUSANNA 
LEFFERTS, see V Generation of the Lefferts 
family, page 68. 



116 




MRS. JOSEPH ADUIS. 




KNIGHT 



Knight 



AS TO THE FAMILY OF KNIGHT: 

It is of very ancient origin in the West of Eng- 
land, and was conspicous more than three hundred 
years ago, as the following will show : 

BRISTOL, COUNTY OF SOMERSET: 

Francis Knight, Sheriff, 1579; Mayor, 1594. 

Francis Knight, Mayor, 16 13. 

George Knight, Sheriff, 1625 ; Mayor, 1639. 

Sir John Knight, Mayor, 1663. 

John Knight, Sheriff, 1664: Mayor, 1670. 

John Knight, Vicar of Banbury, 1665. 

Sir John Knight, Sheriff, 1681 ; Mayor, 1690. 

With reference to the coat of arms of the Knight 
family, a report has been obtained from the Her- 
alds' College, made by the Pursuivant, bearing 
the title of "Bluemantle," and dated 1574, as 
follows : 

Argent, within a bordure, engrailed sable, 
semee of ermine spots, or, a griffin, segreant er- 
mine, armed gules. 

In the Heralds' Visitations of Gloucester, 1684, 
there is a seven-generation pedigree of Knight of 
Bristol, the arms being subsequently allowed 
from a contemporary visitation, and the pedigree 
was continued down to 1793. 

The Genealogy of the Lefferts Family, by Ber- 
gen, pages 82 and 130, contains a statement to 
the effect that Jacobus, or James, Lefferts of Bucks 
County, Pa., baptized August 24, 1760, married 
Elizabeth Knight, with a foot-note that she was a 

117 



Knight 



descendant of Giles and Mary Knight, who came 
to America from Gloucestershire, England, in 
1682. 

August 30, 1682, Giles Knight, his wife and 
son, Joseph, embarked at Deal, on board of the 
ship "Welcome," with William Penn and about 
one hundred other passengers. About eight 
weeks afterwards, October 24th, they were within 
the Capes of the Delaware. Thirty of the pas- 
sengers died on the way over. 

Giles Knight was a grandson of Edward Knight, 
a cloth merchant of Rodburgh, County Gloucester, 
who was among the petitioners regarding the 
decay of the cloth trade in 1 62 i — during the reign 
of King James I. John Knight, the great-grand- 
father of Giles Knight, was one of the Glouces- 
tershire Recusants in 1557 — during the reign of 
Queen Mary. Many persons of the name were 
among the early converts to the doctrines of 
George Fo.x, and, in The Records of the Suffer- 
ings ol Friends, during the reign of King Charles 
II, are the names of Giles Knight of Chessel- 
borough, County Somerset ; Thomas Knight of 
Cirencester; William Knight of Hampshire; 
George Knight and Mary Knight of London; 
and Robert Knight of Oxford. Many of the 
Quakers were apprehended at religious meet- 
ings, and, for refusing to take the oath of alle- 
giance (at that time they were not allowed by 
law to affirm, and their religious creed prohibited 
them from taking an oath), they were committed 
to prison, and were subjected to great difficulties 

Its 



Knight 



and embarrassment through the intolerance and 
persecuting spirit of those times. When WilHam 
Penn opened a prospect of a peaceful settle- 
ment in Pennsylvania, many gladly embraced 
the opportunity to remove, with their families, 
to a country where they might freely enjoy the 
unmolested exercise of their conscientious con- 
victions. Three half-brothers of Giles Knight 
came to Pennsylvania in 1683. They were Ben- 
jamin, Abel and John. Benjamin settled in Ben- 
salem Township, Bucks County, Pa. Abel went 
to North Carolina, where his descendants still 
reside. John went to Massachusetts, and his 
descendants, who are quite numerous, may be 
found scattered all over New Ensfland and 
Canada. There were upwards of twenty of the 
name of Knight on the Revolutionary pension roll. 



119 



Knight 

I GENERATION '"■efirstofwhomdelailedinformation can 

Giles Knight of Rodburgh, County Glouces- 
ter, born in 1653, married, February 24, 1679, 
Mary English, at the meeting house at Nailes- 
worth, in the Parish of Avening, County Glouces- 
ter ; he being described as of Rodburgh, County 
Gloucester, and she of Horsley, in the same 
County. They were both members of the Society 
of Friends, and record of their marriage is to be 
found at Somerset House, London. He met 
William Penn and George Fox at Bristol, in 
1673, when Fox returned from America. Fox 
was full of enthusiasm of his travels ; the strange 
things he had seen in his adventures, and perils 
of the wilderness, and the zeal and steadfastness 
of the American Quakers. They had two sons 
born in England— Joseph, in 1680, and Giles, in 
1681. 

He came to America with William Penn, in the 
ship "Welcome," in 1682. 

The father of Mary English purchased a tract of 
five hundred acres in Byberry, on the Poquessing 
Creek, from William Penn, and gave one-half of it 
to his son-in-law, Giles Knight, and the other half 
to his son, Henry English. Giles Knight lived in 
a cave, which the Indians taught him how to con- 
struct, for six weeks after his arrival, and then built 
a wigwam, in which he resided for several months; 
he then erected for himself a log house. These 
caves were dug in the ground, to the depth of about 
three feet; the roofs were formed of timber and 



120 



Knight 



limbs of trees, and were usually covered with 
sod or bark ; the chimneys were built of stone, 
and mortared with clay. They were damp and 
gloomy abodes, yet served to protect their in- 
mates from the weather. 

- The Indians welcomed the early settlers to 
Byberry, and were ever ready and willing to lend 
their white neighbors a helping hand when in dis- 
tress. At one time, Giles Knight and a neighbor 
went among them to procure some beans and 
other vegetables ; these were kindly furnished, 
along with instructions for cultivating them. He 
was very prosperous in his business, and, some 
time afterward, bought the adjoining lands of 
John Tibby and Thomas Cross, making, alto- 
gether, a tract of six hundred acres. The log 
house first erected being too small to accommo- 
date his increasing family, he built a larger one 
on the Tibby tract. P^rom the records of the 
township it is learned that he was one of the 
leading men of the neighborhood, and that he 
was highly esteemed for his integrity, good judg- 
ment and correct life. 

He po.ssessed considerable literary attainments, 
and his library contained a number of books re- 
lating to civil government. He was repeatedly 
elected a member of the Assembly at Philadel- 
phia (representing the township of Byberry), and, 
in this capacity, was very liberal in his views, and 
did much to promote public improvements. 

In 1712, he erected a bolting mill, on the 
stream of water passing through his meadow. 

121 



Knight 



No flour was made at this mill, but his neighbors 
took their grain to the Pennepack or Poquessing 
mills, and, when it was ground, hauled it to his 
mill to have it bolted. 

Knight's mill is on the Byberry and Andalusia 
turnpike, in the southern part of Byberry Town- 
ship, Philadelphia County, Pa. It is on the Po- 
quessing Creek, and was erected about 1770, and 
rebuilt in 1815. 

Knightsville is situated on the Byberry and 
Bensalem turnpike road, where the Moreland 
road crosses it, near the thirteen-mile stone. It 
is a village, containing a number of dwelling 
houses and other buildings. A school was 
formerly kept at this place. 

July 8, 1 7 17, Giles Knight and his wife went to 
England. The Abington Monthly Meeting of 
Friends, of which they were members, gave them 
a certificate of recommendation to "friends and 
brethren in the truth " at Nailesworth, County 
Gloucester, describing him as "our ancient friend, 
Giles Knight." They returned in 1718. 

Giles Knight mentions in his will, dated August 
10, 1726, his wife's name, Mary English, and 
those of his children : Joseph, Mary, Thomas, 
Anne, Jonathan and Daniel ; and, after certain 
specific bequests and devises of lands, he gave 
the remaining part of his estate to his four sons. 

He died August 20, 1726, aged seventy-three 
years; and Mary, his wife, died July 24, 1732, 
aged seventy-seven years. Both were buried in 
their garden. It is said they had twelve children, 

122 



Knight 



three of whom died in infancy. Two of these 
were buried in the garden, near the Poquessing 
Creek, close to Knight's mill-dam, and the other 
was the first person interred in the old graveyard 
at Byberrj' Meeting. 
Issue : 

1. Joseph Knight, born 1680; married 17 18; 
died 1762. 

2. Giles Knight, born 1681 ; died 1682. 

3. Mary Knight, born 1683 ; married 1704; 
died 1759. 

4. Thomas Knight, born 1685 ; married 
171 1 ; died 1774. 

5. Anne Knight, born 16S7 ; married 1710 ; 
died 1764. 

6. Jonathan Knight, born 1690; married 
1721 ; died 1745. 

7. Daniel Knight, born 1697 ; married 17 19, 
1728, 1777 ; died 1782. 

No trace of any other children can be found 
in the County, Parish or family records. 

II GENERATION: 

Joseph Knight of Byberry Township, Phila- 
delphia County, Pa., born in England, in 1680; 
married, September 10, 17 18, Abigail Antill. 
They first settled in New Jersey, but returned to 
Byberry, in 1729. 

He was a man of little or no enterprise, and 
was content with a very plain way of living. He 
thought his farm too large, and accordingly sold 
about one hundred and forty acres of it to Thomas 

123 



Knight 



Walmsley, retaining his buildings and only fifty 
acres of land. 

They studied and carried out the principles of 
the most exact economy, and being content with 
very little, passed through life in a comfortable 
way and without any longings after those expen- 
sive luxuries experienced by many people. He 
was very careful to attend to all things in season, 
and suffered nothing to be wasted. He was a 
kind-hearted man, and a good citizen. His 
neighbors did not look upon him as a miser ; but 
having been brought up in a new country, where 
he often suffered many privations, his habits of 
economy became settled, and continued with him 
through life. When he was a little boy the only 
food they had, often for weeks at a time, was 
" fish and pumpkins ; " and on one occasion, when 
some of the neighbors paid them a visit and the 
conversation turned upon the good things left 
behind them in Old England, Joseph remarked 
"that he did not know anything about them, but 
that fish and pumpkins were good enough for 
him." On one occasion, some one asked him 
how to make money, when he replied, "Thou 
knowest how to make it better than I do, but 
thou dost not know how to keep it." 

He died April 26, 1762. 

Issue : 

1. Giles Knight, born 1719; married 1737, 
1768 ; died 1799. 

2. Mary Knight, born 1723 ; married 1751 ; 
died 1 794. 

124 



Knight 



III GENERATION . 

Giles Knight of Bensalem Township, Bucks 
County, Pa., born November 17, 1719; married 
(first), June 10, 1 737, Elizabeth James. He mar- 
ried (second), August 4, 1768, Phebe Thomas. 

He was well educated, had a vigorous mind, 
and conducted his business with energy and 
success. He early turned his attention to 
politics, and, from being in comfortable circum- 
stances, of known integrity and sound judgment, 
he soon became prominent as a politician, and was 
for several successive years a member of the State 
Legislature, and, afterwards, one of the Commis- 
sioners of Bucks County. Of his appearance 
and manners, it is recorded that he was a venera- 
ble old patriarch in full dress of velvet and broad- 
cloth, with buttons and buckles of silver, a full 
bottom wig, and first-rate beaver hat turned up 
behind and on each side before, all which seemed 
to belong to a class that did not mix with ordin- 
ary characters ; and, together with an austere, 
commanding countenance, and dignity of man- 
ners and deportment, which induced an appre- 
hension and belief that he was one of the great 
men of his day and generation. 
He died December 19, 1799. 

Issue : 

1. Joseph Knight, born 1738; married 1762, 
1770 ; died 18 19. 

2. Susannah Knight, born 1740; married 
1761 ; died 1810. 

125 



Knight 



3. Abigail Knight, born 1742; married 1764; 
died 1802. 

4. Giles Knight, born 1745 ; married 1765 ; 
died 1796. 

5. Rebecca Knight, born 1747; married 
1768 ; died 1800. 

6. Mary Knight, born 1750; married 1773; 
died 1820. 

7. Elizabeth Knight, born 1752; married 
1772 ; died 1797. 

8. Abel Knight, born 1755 ; died 1777. 

9. Sarah Knight, born 1757 ; died 1824. 

10. Israel Knight, born 1760; married 1782 ; 
died 1810. 

11. Asa Knight, born 1770; married 1795, 
1802 ; died 1840. 

12. Evan T. Knight, born 1771 ; married 
1794 ; died 1841. 

13. Phebe Knight, born 1773 ; married 1798 ; 
died 1837. 

14. Rachel Knight, born 1775; married 1799 ; 
died 1846. 

15. Jesse Knight, born 1779; married 1800; 
died 1851. 

16. Anne Knight, born 1781 ; died 1786. 

IV GENERATION : 

Joseph Knight of Abington, IVIontgomery 
County, Pa., born December 14, 1738; married 
(first), June 18, 1762, Rachel Townsend. He 
married (second), January 8, 1770, Elizabeth 
Woolston. 

He died August 18, 18 19. 
126 



Knight 



Issue : 

1 . Charles Knight, born i 763 ; married 1 784 ; 
died 1 83 1. 

2. John Knight, born 1764; died 1765. 

3. Susannah Knight, born 1765; married 
1784; died 1795. 

4. Rachel Knight, born 1 766 ; married 1 789 ; 
died 181 5. 

5. Elizabeth Knight, born 1770; married 
1787 ; died 1840. 

6. William Knight, born 1771 ; married 
1792 ; died 1832. 

7. Sarah Knight, born 1772; married 1795; 
died 1837. 

V GENERATION : 

Elizabeth Knight of Abington, Montgomery 
County, Pa., born October 15, 1770; married, 
September 8, 1787, James Lefferts of North- 
ampton Township, Bucks County, Pa. 

She died November 16, 1840. 

Issue : See IV generation of the Lefferts 
family, page 67. 



127 



AS TO THE FAMILIES OF MacCORD, 
MacINTYRE. CARSON, BROWN, CAMP- 
BELL, DUFF, DICKSON and SPENCER: 



I GENERATION '"'"=fi''^.' of «''i<»n definite information can 

John MacCord of County Derry, Ireland, 
married Mary Maclntyre. 
Issue : 

Mary MacCord. 

II GENERATION: 

Mary MacCord of County Derry, Ireland, 
married John Carson of County Tyrone, Ireland. 
Issue : 

Margaret Carson. 

III GENERATION : 

Margaret Carson of County Tyrone, Ireland, 
married John Brown (son of William Brown and 
Isabella Campbell — see page 130) of County 
Tyrone, Ireland. 

Issue : 

1. William Brown, married Sarah Brown of 
County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to 
America, in 1 8 1 1 . They sailed in the ship 
"Conastoga," and landed at New York, 
subsequently settling at Hinckson's Cor- 
ner (on the Providence road, half way 
between Chester and Media), Delaware 
County, Pa. 

Issue : A very large family. 

2. James Brown, married Eleanor Jane 
Thompson of County Tyrone, Ireland, 
and came to America, in 1835, settling, 

128 



Brown 

first, at Philadelphia for a short time, 
subsequently permanently locating at 
Pittsburg, where they both died. 
Issue : Five daughters and one son. 

3. Robert Brown, came to America, in 181 1, 
with his brother. William, and married 
Sarah Ladlie of Virginia. 

Issue : A large family. Two of the sons 
(William and Robert) settled near Lex- 
ington, Ky., and another son (James) 
settled at or near Mansfield, O. 

4. Mary Brown, married Thomas Dickson 
of County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to 
America, in 1832. After staying two 
months in Philadelphia they moved, and 
permanently settled at Pittsburg, Pa., 
where they both died. 

Issue: twelve children. (See page 132.) 

5. Elizabeth Brown, born November 9, 1 793 ; 
married (first), July 7, 1814, James Duff 
of County Tyrone, Ireland (seepage 130), 
and came to America, in 181 5, settling 
at Hinckson's Corner, close to her 
brother, William, subsequently moving 
to Philadelphia, Pa. James Duff died 
February 18, 1824. She married (sec- 
ond), October 20, 1 830, James Downing of 
Philadelphia, Pa., formerly of Moneymore, 
County Derry, Ireland. (See pages 41 
and 131.) 

She died January 15, 1891. 
Issue: Seepages 41 and 131. 
129 



Brown-Duff 

6. John Brown — died in infancy. 

7. Margaret Brown — died aged four. 

The paternal great-great-grandfather of John 
Brown (who married Margaret Carson — III) left 
Scotland, with the Campbells and numerous 
other Protestant families, in the i8th century, 
owing to religious persecution, and settled at 
Coagh. near Lake Neagh, in the extreme eastern 
part of County Tyrone, Ireland. John Brown's 
father was William Brown, who married Isabella 
Campbell of County Tyrone, Ireland. (See page 
128.) 

ISSUE OF WILLIAM BROWN AND 
ISABELLA CAMPBELL: 

1. James Brown, who, after returning from 
America, married Mary Beatty. 

2. Catharine Brown, married James Routh. 

3. Joshua Brown, went to America, settling 
at or near Mansfield, O. 

4. Anne Brown, married John Magee of 
County Tyrone, Ireland, and joined her 
brother, Joshua, in America. 

5. John Brown, married Margaret Carson 
(III). (See page 128.) 

6. Rosa Brown, married Samuel Young of 
Coagh, County Tyrone, Ireland. 

IV GENERATION : 

Elizabeth Brown, born November 9, 1793 ; 
married (first), July 7, 1814, James Duff of 
County Tyrone, Ireland. (Seepage 129.) She 

130 



Duff-Downing 

married (second), October 20, 1830, James 
Downing of Philadelphia, Pa., formerly of Mon- 
eymore, County Derry, Ireland. (See pages 41 
and 129.) 

She died January 13, 1891. 

Issue : 

1. |ohn Duff, married Hannah Faxon of 
Philadelphia, Pa. 

2. Matilda Duff, married John McDaniel of 
Philadelphia, Pa. 

3. William A. Duff, married Margaret Smylie 
of Philadelphia, Pa. 

4. James Duff, married Sarah Fields of 
Philadelphia, Pa. 

Issue of ELIZABETH BROWN DUFF and 
JAMES DOWNING, see X Generation of the 
Downing family, page 41. 



131 



Brown-Dickson 

MARY BROWN (the daughter of Margaret 
Carson and John Brown — seepage 129), married 
THOMAS DICKSON of County Tyrone, Ire- 
land. They came to America, in 1832, and per- 
manently settled at Pittsburg, Pa. 

The armorial bearings of the Dickson family 
in Ireland, as recorded in the heraldic authori- 
ties, are : 

Argent, a bull's head sable, crined or, on a chief 
gules, a sword fessways of the field pommel and 
hilt of the third. 

Issue : 

1. John Dickson, born 181 1 ; married 1853; 
died 1881. 

2. William Brown Dickson, born 181 3; mar- 
ried 1835 ; <^'6d 1876. 

3. Margaret Dickson, born 1 815; died 1815. 

4. James Dickson, born 181 7; married 
1842 ; died 1887. 

5. Robert Dickson, born 1819 ; married 
1838. 

6. Elizabeth Jane Dickson, born 1821 ; mar- 
ried 1845. 

7. Mary Dickson, born 1823 ; married 
1839; died 1884. 

8. Rachel Dickson, born 1825; married 1844. 

9. Thomas Campbell Dickson, born 1827; 
married 1857. 

10. Margaret Dickson, born 1829; married 
1848. 

11. Hannah Dickson, born 183 1 ; died 1832. 

12. Joseph Carson Dickson, born 1833 ; mar- 

ried 1856; died 1884. 

132 





Ji 



DICKSON 




THOaiAS DICKSON. 




MRS. THOMAS DICKSON. 

{nee mahy bhown.) 



Dickson-Spencer 

THOMAS CAMPBELL DICKSON (Seepage 
132), born October i, 1827; married, October 
8, 1857, MARGARET SPENCER of Winlaton, 
County Durham, England. 

Issue : 

1. Mary Ella Dickson, born August 22, 
1858; died October 24, 1861. 

2. Elizabeth Downing Dickson, born Feb- 
ruary 21, 1861 ; married October 2, 1883, 
and July 21, 1900. 

3. Catharine Parker Dickson, born March 
30, 1863 ; married February i, 1887. 

4. William Brickell Dickson, born April 13, 
1865 ; married October 23, 1887. 

5. Edward Spencer Dickson, born August 
12, 1867. 

6. Albert Graft" Dickson, born August 31, 
187 1 ; died January 24, 1875. 

7. J. Walter Dickson, born November 6, 
1873; married February 14, 1899. 

8. Franklin Dake Dickson, born November 
II, 1882. 

9. Helen Dickson, born July 13, 1884. 



133 




THOMAS CAMPBEt-I. DIOKSON 



\ 



RD « 6 ^ 




MRS. THOMAS OAMPBKIjL OICK.'SON. 

'NKB MAKGAKCT SPUNCEK.t 
















;. ' . • .^% \^° /\ °^»^^' ^^'\ '-^S /\ 'I 



vb, 'o . » • .A. 
■1* o, -V-' 










V..* 





















^'^^ 



.^ ^'^ 









'"°o 



A^ 



o V 



•*7, ♦ O 



V •• V. '* c» ^0^ 



<^^°^ 







.^^ 



x^'■■ 



o 



'*•.. 




9^ 



''P. .« 



•J 



**ae-/r^^'^ ^ v'^ •' 






yj^£?^.\ 






^^ 



COrYoF mi: MAP 

^ O F T H E ^^ ^ 

IN DR.S TRON C'S HISTO RY. ^ / 

1842. — 



y^'^^- 








.Mnli"''"*'"* 
JBirflsiiIl 



4^ —Li — !-^~/;,./.w.'. • 



ran lO^*- 
MClarlcso' 



\tSa-mptir /~\ 

•t^ \,Jlpr,SlrOcu- 



• «f«,/, 




mJKfqe^rnart 






,Wr^tv^" 



- (hunty 
»*Poormui 



% 










N K\V ITRECUT ^ 



/(nLW'KSKSD^ 



\ 



=LI 



r 



3^,' 



V 



-0' 



f/._<C 



• .0 ^^. - 



y -<< 



^o 



.<; 



V 



. 

G 







^ V 



i& 













p 



>\ 






.1^ ^ o « o , •^ 










■-■'- 0'' 






* e» „ *\J 





















-. ' , c 



^^^^^^ 






*:'i<^ 




-'^^Cfe "^..^ 







<r- -^'V.s^ .ijl 



* ^^" "^^^ -.'■^^^\>'/ . ^ 



<>- ""..-i." A 



'm: 







,-».l^* 



:i* ^^ "^ 



.-i" 





«* A 



^ •,^?^,' .«> •'^^ -?^,|^^ ^ 




'^^c,-^' 
.N^^"-^. 



'».;' A 

.^ ' -J*, ,-4- 



<&> c""". 



■p 



-^ 

^'.^v 

^f. 



